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WORKERS ix the VINEYARD 



A Review of the Progress of Spiritualism, 

Biographical Sketches, Lectures, 

Essays and Poems, 



BY 

rLIA SCHLESINGER 



EDITOR FOR TEN YEARS OF THE "CARRIER DOVE," ALSO OF THE "GLEANER, 
AND "PACIFIC COAST BPIRITUALIST.' 



( bftte and labor in )>iy vineyard, for to, the harvest now IS > //v but the lai 

are few" 



SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, 

180 I 















^ 



Copyrighted by the Author, 

1896. 



DEDICATION. 

TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE PIONE1 RS 
( 

IIWI TOILED IX THE VINEYARD OF TRUTH, AND MAD! 



) POSSIBL1 IIIF. BENEFICEN1 RESULTS OF THE PRESENT ERA 
01 MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL LIBERTY Tills VOLUME is 



LOVINGLY DEDIC Mil' BY 1 HI 

Al' IHOk. 






- 



The author has endeavored in this volume to present a brief historical 
sketch of the progress of Modern Spiritualism since the raps at Hydesville 
announced the ushering in of a new dispensation bringing light, truth, and 
proof of immortal life to humanity. Nearly half a century has passed since 
that memorable day, and many of the pioneers who went forth proclaiming 
the new revelation to the world have passed to spirit life leaving no record 
of their labors save that which lingers in the hearts and memories of those 
who were blest through their ministrations. This lack of authentic records 
of much that should have been preserved and formed the history of so great 
a movement, is an irreparable loss to Spiritualism, and an injustice to those 
who so grandly proclaimed the truth when it required almost the heroism of 
a martyr to brave the taunts and ridicule, the ignorance and intolerance of 
friends and toes, and the vituperations of pulpit and press. Such persecu- 
tion is not the lot of the present-day worker, save from narrow minds whose 
avenues of information and enlightenment are limited, or whose eyes are so 
blinded by superstition that the truth can not be seen when presented to 
them. 

The value of the lessons to be learned from the experiences, the strug- 

defeats, and conquests of other lives, cannot be over-estimated. They 

• as beacon lights along a stormy, rock-bound shore, warning others of 

the dangers, reefs, and shoals, and pointing the way to a safe harbor. In 

the brief histories of individual effort and labor in the field of reform as 

ted in these pages, smh lessens can be -leaned by coming generations 
long alter the workers in the vineyard of to-day have -one to their eternal 

homes. They will bear fruit in the heroic lives, devotion to truth, and grand 

numanitarianism of those who are to folli 

1 ) u ring the past twelve ■ The 

Carrier I > for a time of The G and lastly. - m'/i, 

Coast Spiritualist^ I have been prepared lor this work, and a vasi amount of 



i 4 PREFACE. 

material — sufficient for several volumes — has been collected. If my humble 
efforts in this line meet the approval of Spiritualists, and there is a demand 
for another volume, it will be forthcoming. 

During all these years of struggle and trials consequent upon rearing a 
family, and incessant toil with hands and brain, I have ever been conscious 
of the loving guardianship of angel friends. They have comforted me in 
seasons of sorrow,encouraged and strengthened me when almost doubting 
and despairing, rejoiced in my success, and sympathized with me when 
failure seemed written on everything. They have ever taught the highest 
and purest principles as the rules of daily life and conduct. They have ever 
stimulated noble impulses and the highest aims; they have taught lessons of 
charity, patience, forbearance and justice. When the hasty word of criticism 
and censure has been uttered, their gentle reproaches have brought remorse 
and repentance. They have been a daily inspiration to a life of generous 
deeds, kindly words and tender compassion for all humanity. To them — 
my dear angel benefactors in spirit life, and the dear angels still in mortal 
form, who have given me strength in times of weakness, hope in days of dark 
despair, faith in the ultimate good, and aid spiritual and material to do that 
which was given me to do — to them am I indebted for whatever merit or 
success my labors deserve. Julia Schlesinger. 



INTRODUCTXOlSr. 



One of the most important epochs in the history of the world dates 
from March 31, 1848; for upon that day dawned the recognition of a new 
world of being, — nay, of a new universe, of which previously men had had 
faint glimmerings and fitful gleams, but of which demonstrative evidence of 
actuality had never before been systematically presented. From the little 
beginning at that time, at Hydesville, New York, there has arisen the grand 
and mighty movement called Modern Spiritualism, — a movement whose benefi- 
cent sway has been extended into all parts of the civilized world, even into 
the remote regions of Japan and China, Australia and New Zealand, India 
and Africa. 

The crowning glory of this new evangel of life and light is its demonstra- 
tion of the existence of the spiritual universe and of a future life for man; 
and concomitant therewith, and almos t of equal value, is its demonstration of 
the true character of that universe and of man's estate therein. Not alone 
is Spiritualism probative of a future life for all mankind, but it reveals to us 
a natural, rational, progressive spiritual existence, in full accord with the high- 
est, best aspirations and hopes of the human heart. It dispels forever the 
darksome dogmas and superstitious myths regarding the nature of the life 
after physical death that have for ages been regnant in the world, and imparts 
to mankind here on earth a joy and happiness beyond compare. To the 
enlightened Spiritualist the universe assumes a new aspect; all being is respon- 
sive to the felicity and serenity of his enraptured mind. The heavens wear 
a gladdening smile ne'er seen before and earth seems robed in silvery sheen. 

Spiritualism now encircles the earth, and embraces millions of earnest 
adherents. To what agencies is this wondrous progress due? To the com 
bined action of the inhabitants of the Morning Land, the spiritual spheres 
above, and of the "workers in the vineyard here below. Little could have 
been accomplished, in disseminating the truths of the philosophy and 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

religion of Spiritualism, by our spiritual friends alone, without the 
co-operation of the faithful workers still encased in flesh and blood. Spirit- 
ualism stands where it does to-day because of the untirrng zeal, the unselfish, 
philanthropic labors of a host of true-hearted men and women. These 
"workers in the vineyard" have toiled on, and struggled on, regardless of 
the obloquy and ridicule, the persecutions and misrepresentations, so freely 
showered upon them by an unthinking, unbelieving world. Little recked 
they of the abuse and slander meeting them at every turn. They knew 
that they were right, they knew what their duty was; that duty they fearlessly 
performed, and they are still in steady performance thereof. To-day, all 
over the world, the sturdy "workers in the vineyard" are at their posts, aglow 
with enthusiasm, inspired with devotion to the holy cause enshrining their 
life-work. It is fitting that record be made of the good work that has been 
done and is being done by these laborers for the good and true. One of 
the important centers of action, in furtherance of the Spiritualistic gospel, has 
been the Pacific Coast of America. In addition to many noble workers 
native to it or resident therein, this coast has been enriched by the presence 
and labors of a number of the leading "workers in the vineyard" from all 
parts of America, and from England and other countries. In this initial 
volume of a projected series, it is purposed to present a faithful summary of 
the life-work of some of the men and women who have been active in the 
sustentation and presentation of the phenomena and philosophy of Spirit > 
ualism on the Pacific Coast, — the mediums, the lecturers, the writers, the 
workers in the societies and the lyceums, the sustainers and promoters of the 
good work by their means, their time, their influence, etc., — the active 
''workers" in the cause, whether with voice, pen, money, or otherwise. In 
succeeding volumes, perhaps, similar record may be made of the "workers', 
in other parts of America and of the world 

Among the host of uns -llish, devoted "workers" On the Coast stands 

the co ( m£iler. and. publisher of this volume, Mrs. Julia Schlesinger. For a 

dozen ycais past she has stood in the forefront of the struggle for the 

advan< eincnt of Spiritualistic truth here. In the, ten years of the publication 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

by her, in Oakland and San Francisco, of the Carrier Dove, she became 

possessed of a vast amount of historical and biographical information anent 

the progress of Spiritualism and the life-lines of its advocates and chamDions 

on the Coast. The cream of this, amplified and improved, is embodied in 

this volume. I know of no one on the Coast better equipped or better 

qualified for the preparation of this work than its present author. 

To relieve the monotony and to add variety to the work, ihere. will be- 

scattered through the volume selections from the many writings of Mrs. 

Schlesinger while editor of the Carrier Dove, upon subjects of interest to 

Spiritualists and reformers; also a choice selection of original poems upon 

.matters of contemporaneous interest. 

\V.\i. Kmmette Coleman. 
San Francisco, Cal., Jan. 1896. 



A REVIEW OF THE PROGRESS OF 
SPIRITUALISM. 



In casting a retrospective glance over 
the history ol one of the greatest move- 
ments the world has ever known — one 
fraught with so much of interest to the 
human race, revealing to mankind secrets 
which have hitherto puzzled the most 
eminent scholars, theologians and scien- 
tists, concerning the fact of continued life 
alter the change called death, and of the 
state or condition of those who have ex- 
perienced the change, we are struck with 
the magnitude of the movement which 
in less than hall a century has attained 
such gigantic proportions. Born in hu- 
mility and obscurity, persecuted and 
maligned in its infancy and youth, doubt- 
ed, ridiculed and derided on every hand, 
it has, nevertheless, steadily grown into 
public favor and acceptance, until, at the 
end of this brief period, it has many mil- 
lions of adherents. It has crept silently 
into the pages of popular books, maga- 
zines and newspapers throughout the 
land, and unconsciously has the public 
mind been educated and moulded into 
conformity therewith. True, it has not 
yet entirely overcome all bigotry and 
superstition, the outgrowth ol an igno- 
rant past; but that it has had a decidedly 
counteracting and liberalizing eflect can- 
not be denied. The pulpits everywhere, 
under the magical influence of the inspi- 
ration ol the present, are voicing its 
truths, and either silently ignoring the 
errors of the past, or boldly pro< laiming 

their worthlessness to meet the demands 

Of the growing intelligence of mankind. 

Much remaips to be done in this direc- 
tion before tiie complete breaking of the 
shackles ol ignorance, whi< h lia 
centuries enslaved and degraded human- 
ity. I Jut the prognostications ol 

indicate a new era ol devc lopmeill I It the 
race — an era which had it> beginning 
with the tiny raps at I [ydesville, .ind will 
culminate only in the distant cycles ol the 



future, far beyond the reach of mortal 
vision or conception. A brief outline «>f 
the origin and growth of the light of the 
nineteenth century — Modern Spiritual- 
ism, cannot be amiss in this introductory 
chapter. 

In abook entitled "The Missing Link," 
written by A. Leah Underbill, one of the 
"Fox sisters," it is stated that the raps 
which had been heard for some time in 
the house at Hydesville, grew to be so 
annoying, that at last the neighbois were 
called in to witness the manifestations, 
and decide upon their origin and mean- 
ing. Upon the eventful night of March 
31st, 1848, the family, consisting of John 
Fox, his wife Margaret Fox, and their 
two daughters, Margaretta and Cather- 
ine, or "Cathie," as her mother called 
her, had retired earlv in the evening, 
hoping to have a good night's rest, free 
from the disturbing noises which had so 
annoyed them for several weeks previ- 
ous. They had no sooner retired, how- 
ever, than the rapping began, and tne 
children (who slept m the same room 
with their parents, having been brought 
in on account ol their fear when occupy- 
ing a room alone) imitated the sounds by 
snapping their lingers and clapping their 

hands. Cathie, the youngest, said: "Mr. 
SplitfoOt, do as 1 do," clapping her 
hands. The sound instantly followed 

her, with the same number ol raps. 
Then Margaretta said: "Now do jusl as 
J do; countone, two, three, lour," strik- 
ing one hand against die other, which 

was immediately imitated, as before, 1>\ 

the laps. Mis. FOJC tlxn began to ask 

questions, and obtained answers by the 
raps. She asked the spirits to rap out 
her children's ages, which wustlone cor- 
rectly each time. Mi. Fox was so much 
astonished at this that h<- went oul and 

imited a neighbor to Come m. wllO, in 

turn, wi nt (in after others, until a large 



20 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



company had assembled. By asking 
questions which could be answered by 
yes and no (two raps signifying no, and 
three raps yes) it was ascertained that a 
peddler had been murdered in that house 
some years before, and his body buried 
in the cellar, and the name of the mur- 
derer given. This created a great excite- 
ment, and the next day hundreds of 
people visited the house. The excite- 
ment increased, and it was found impos- 
sible for the family to remain there longer. 
They went to the residence of a married 
son, David Fox, living about two miles 
distant, until their own house, which was 
not yet completed, should be ready for 
occupancy. The raps followed them, 
and it was soon discovered that the two 
little girls were the mediums. The eldest 
sister, A. Leah Underbill (then Mrs. 
Fish,) was residing in Rochester, and 
hearing of the strange occurrences at 
Hydesville, determined to visit her par- 
ents and ascertain what it all meant. 
Arriving at Hydesville, she found the 
"haunted house" deserted, and learned 
that the family were living with her 
brotlur David. She found her mother 
almost ill from the effects of the trying 
scenes through which they had been 
called to pass. After remaining two 
weeks, during which time remarkable 
manifestations occurred, Mrs. Fish re- 
turned home, taking the younger sister, 
Katie, with her, as the mother thought 
that by separating the family the disturb- 
ance would cease. In this they were dis- 
appointed, as the raps followed them on 
their journey home, and on arriving there 
they found it impossible to sleep nights 
the disturbance was so great. Articles 
of furniture were moved, doors opened 
and shut, the sound of persons walking 
about was distinctly heard, the beds 
upon which they were sleeping would be 
raised from the floor and dropped down 
again, until they were obliged to take the 

lx ddillg and lay it on 1 1 1< ■ llo> r. Main 

other wonderful and startling things oc- 
curred, until it was thought best to send 
fol Mi--- FOX, as the little daughter was 

almost ill through fright. She immedi- 



ately left for Rochester, taking the other 
daughter, Margaretta, with her. Upon 
their arrival a family council was held, 
but nothing could be decided upon but 
to await events and pray for protection. 
The manifestations increased in power 
until, feeling that they could no longer 
bear it alone, they consulted with Isaac 
and Amy Post, who were much amused 
at what was told them, and believed the 
family were "suffering under some psy- 
chological delusion." But when they 
witnessed some things in their own home 
they became interested, and invited some 
friends to witness the manifestations also. 
Though the family begged that everything 
should be kept a profound secret, they 
soon found that it was not so kept. The 
spirits were determined that the truth 
should be given to the world, and these 
were the instruments through whom it 
was to be given. They directed that 
private circles should be held at different 
houses, and they would manifest for 
promiscuous companies. The first meet- 
ing was held at the residence of Isaac 
and Amy Post, the spirits directing 
whom to invite. They were all promi- 
nent persons — lawyers, doctors and edit- 
ors. Among the number was Frederick 
Douglas, editor of the "North Star." 
After several very satisfactory meetings, 
at which the spirits demonstrated their 
ability to rap sufficiently loud to be heard 
in a large hall, they instructed the medi- 
ums to give public seances in a large 
hall. Corinthian Hall, then the largest 
in Rochester, was designated. It was 
engaged, and the meeting was advertised 
for the evening of November 14, 1S4S. 
At the meeting an investigating commit- 
tee of five prominent skeptical gentle- 
men was appointed, to make a report at 
the next meeting. Contrary to the 
expectations ami wishes of the audience 
assembled, the report of the committee 
was in favor ol the mediums, and another 
committee was appointed to make the 
next report. The report of this Commit" 

tee was also favorable, as no solution 

could he given of the method by which 
the raps were produced. The excitement 




LEAH FOX (JNDERHILL. 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



2L 



was at this time intense, and there was 
talk of mobbing both mediums and com- 
mittee. At the third meeting, those who 
expressed most dissatisfaction with the 
previous investigations were appointed, 
and formed what was called the • 'Infidel 
Committee." They met at the rooms of 
Dr. Gates, in the Rochester House. 
Three ladies were appointed, who took 
the mediums into a private room and had 
them disrobe and put on garments that 
had been selected for the purpose. They 
were then conducted into the presence of 
the committee, composed of five gentle- 
men who were determined to "fathom 
the fraud." After waiting some time 
and no manifestations of importance oc- 
curring, the girls were told they could 
"go home and get their dinners," and 
perhaps then the "ghosts" would be 
more sociable. Then Leah said: "No, 
we shall not stir from this room until the 
time for this investigation shall expire, 
which will be at 6 o'clock p. if. The fol- 
lowing is what occurred, as related by 
Mrs. LJnderhill: 

"Some of the Committee exclaimed 
'Good for the Rappers! That looks like 
business. Ladies and gentlemen, let us 
have dinner in this room. We will give 
the girls fair play.' A sumptuous dinner 
was prepared and brought in to us, and 
all took Beats at the table. They taunted 
us in every way. Sometimes we felt our- 
selves forsaken, and disposed to give up 
in despair. ( >ur friends were lock* d out, 

and not permitted to come into 'he room ; 
but we could hear their faithful footsteps 

outside the door, in the hall of the hotel, 
Isaac and Amy Post, Mr. and Mis. Pier- 
pont, George Willets and others. My 
young sister Maggie was by my side, 

bathed in tears. 1 >r. ( i.it<> was Carving, 

struggling with a choking emotion, 

and could DOt taste food. The party 

were joking and tunning at our expense, 
when, suddenly, the great table began to 
tremble, and raised first one end and 
then the other, with loud creaking sounds, 
like a ship struggling in a heavy gale, 
until it was finally suspended abov< 

heads. For a moment .ill were silent and 



looked at each other with astonishment. 
The waiters fled in every direction. In- 
stantly the scene was changed. The 
ladies threw their arms around us, one 
after another, and it was their turn to cry 
They said to us: 'Oh, you poor girls, how 
you have been abused! Oh, how sorry 
we are for you; after all it is true! The 
gentlemen, with one accord said, 'Girls, 
you have gained a victory. We will. 
stand by you to the last.' Let it be un- 
derstood that this Committee of ladies, 
and gentlemen took us to the parlors of 
the Rochester House, which could be 
divided into two rooms by closing the 
folding doors. After dinner the gentle- 
men of the Committee insulated the table 
by putting glass under the legs, procured 
two sacks of leathers, and advised the 
ladies how to conduct the investigation. 
They then closed the doors and retired, 
leaving us and the lady members of the 
Committee alone. By this time the Com- 
mittee had become kindly disposed to- 
wards us. They suggested to us that we 
should stand upon the sacks of feathers 
on the table, with our dresses tied tight 
above our ankles. We complied with 
all their suggestions cheerfully. Imme- 
diately the sounds were heard on the 
table, floor and walls: The ladies in- 
stantly opened the doors, and the gentle- 
men came in ami witnessed the manifesta- 
tions themselves." 

At the conclusion of this investigation 
the Committee received a note warning 
them that if they went to the hall that 
evening with a report in fa or of the girls, 
they would be mobbed. The friends of 
the mediums also urged them to remain 

at home, but the spirits said, "Co, you 

will not be harmed." Act ordingly, at 

the appointed hour, they went and found 

a rowdy element in tin audit in e, who 

would have stopped at nothing short ol 

violence had not the polil e 1 >ei n notified 

of th'- anti< ipated trouble, and been pres- 
ent in suiin ient numbers to quell tin- dis- 
turbance which was commenced by the 
explosion <>i t<-i pedoi s in evei v part of 

the hall. Tin- mob wasqiiu kl> disp 

and tin- mediums pul>h< ly \ ind 



22 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



Thus was inaugurated the public work of 
these chosen ones, and conducted at the 
risk of their lives many times, before the 
ignorant, bigoted masses could be con- 
vinced that they were not in league with 
his Satanic Majesty, and that they would 
be doing God's service by killing them- 
In a brief sketch like this, it is impossible 
to give but few of the interesting events 
in the lives of these world renowned me- 
diums. The pioneers in the ranks of 
Spiritualism are, many of them, person- 
ally acquainted with the subjects of this 
article, and have, like them, suffered per- 
secution for doing the bidding of the 
angels; therefore, it is not for them that 
this record is given, but for those who 
are at present investigating this great 
truth, and for those recently convinced 
who are unfamiliar with the origin of the 
movement. 

After the successful termination of the 
Rochester meeting, the mediums were 
informed that they must go forth and 
give the truth to the world. Accordingly 
arrangements were made for a series of 
public meetings in Albany. The "Fox 
Family," as they were called, consisted 
of Mrs. Fox and the three daughters — 
Leah (Mrs. Fish), Margaretta and Katie. 
They were accompanied by Calvin 
Brown, an adopted son of Mrs. Fox, who 
was the ladies' escort. Their success, 
both in public and private seances, was 
remarkable. Their rooms were thronged 
with the more intelligent portion of the 
community, among whom were lawyers* 
actors, college professors, ministers, ed- 
itors and honest infidels, judges, etc. 
They were deluged with letters of invita- 
tion to visit other places by those who 
wished to investigate; but having made 
arrangements to go from Albany direct 
to New York, they could not deviate 
from the course marked out for them. 
At the urgent solicitations of friends they 
were induced to spend a few days in Troy 
visiting New York. Theirsuccess 
here, as elsewhere, was highly gratifying. 
The first appearance of the "Fox Fam- 
ily" in New York was in June, [850. 
Horace (Ireely was their first caller, lie 



announced their arrival in the Tribune 
and published their rules of order. Their 
seance room at the hotel was a large 
parlor, containing a long table with thirty 
seats. The public parlors served as ante- 
rooms, in which visitors waited their 
turns to be admitted to the seance-room. 
Three public seances were ^iven daily, 
from 10 to 12 a. m., 3 to 5 p. m., and 8 to 
10 p. M. These meetings would lengthen 
out until there was scarcely lime given 
the mediums fur eating and sleeping, the 
evening sessions frequently extending 
until midnight, and private sittings often 
being given before breakfast. Many 
times were these mediums compelled to 
submit to the most crucial test conditions 
in order to satisfy the extremely skepti- 
cal that the manifestations were not the 
result of trickery. It is gratifying to note 
that in all such instances mediumship 
triumphed. During their first visit of 
three months at the great metropolis, 
thousands of people visited them and 
received their first demonstrated proofs 
of a future life. "A special investigation 
by a large committee of the first men of 
New York, in scientific and literary, as 
well as social distinction," took place at 
the residence of Rev. Rufus \V. Gris- 
wold. Among the company present 
were: J. Fenimore Cooper, the novelist; 
Mr. George Bancroft, the historian; Rev. 
Dr. Hawks, Dr. J. W. Francis, Dr. Mar- 
cy, Mr. N. P. Willis, Mr. Win. Cullen 
Bryant, the poet, and Mr. Bigelow of the 
Evening Post, Mr. Richard B. Kimball. 
Mr. H. Tuckerman, and General Lyman. 
Mr. Ripley, one of the editors of the 
Tribune, made a report of the proceed- 
ings, which any one can re, id by looking 
over the files of that paper for 1S50, the 
sum ot which was that the seance proved 
a very interesting and satisfactory one to 
the committee and friends. Mr. Cooper, 
upon his death bed, a little over a year 
afterward, sent them the following mes- 
sage: "Tell the Fox family I bless them. 
I have been made happy through them. 
They have prepared me lor this hour." 
In September it was decided to return 
to Rochester lor rest ami recreation after 



■■■ 




MARGA.RETTA FOX KANE 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



2 3 



the months of unceasing labor in New 
York. Beiore doing so they were invited 
by their warm friends, Mr. and Mrs- 
Greeley, to spend a fortnight at their hos- 
pitable home on Nineteenth street. After 
the return of the family to Rochester, 
Horace Greeley published a lengthy state- 
ment in the Tribune of the result of their 
visit to New York, vouching for the per- 
fect integrity and honesty of the mediums, 
but making no attempt to explain the 
nature of their manifestations. 

We can but briefly sketch the busy lives 
of the sisters, after entering into the work 
appointed them by their invisible guardi- 
ans. Their visits to various cities, while 
many times marked with great trials and 
difficulties, of which the mediums of the 
present time have little conception, were 
usually successions of triumphs over the 
bigotry and ignorance of their enemies, 
who attempted to explain the manifesta- 
tions in many improbable and impossible 
ways, such as the tl toe and knee joint the- 
ory," "electrical vibrations," etc. Among 
the number who most successfully dis- 
tinguished themselves as consummate ig- 
DOratnuses were three learned professors 
of the University of Buffalo. These gen- 
tlemen— Austin Flint, M. D., Charles A. 
!. I)., and C. 15 Coventry, M. I) — 
published an article in The Commercial 
Advertiser^ of February i8, [851, in which 
they explained in a most elaborate and sci- 
entific manner (which must have been 
extremely gratifying to the public), the 
process by which the three Fox j^'H* had 
been so successfully humbugging the 
people lor three years. Th<ir scientific 
explanation was something really won- 
derful, and reflet ts greal credit upon the 
trio of astute M. D's. It consisted in 
advancing the theory that the "raps" 

Were produced by a partial dislocation of 

the knee ioints whi< h produced a loud 
noise and the return of the bone to its 
place occasioned another sound which, 
lain- continued, were tin- rappings 
which had so deceived thousands of peo- 
ple who, not being as learned as they, 
bad failed to discover the source of the 
mysterious sounds. This startling an- 



nouncement was reproduced in the Bujja- 
lo Medical Journal and led to a thorough 
investigation in which the utter absurdity 
and impossibility of the theory was fully 
demonstrated and the honesty of the me- 
diums proven beyond all cavil or doubt. 
In 1852, at the urgent solicitations of 
friends, the mediums located permanently 
in New York. Here they met many of 
the most brilliant minds of that great city 
and formed strong and lasting friend- 
ships. Alice and Phcebe Cary, Horace 
Greeley and Mrs. Greeley, Judge Ed- 
munds, Rev. John Pierpont, and Prof. 
Mapes were among their many warm 
friends. 

The actors in this great drama which 
ushered in a new era of spiritual enlight- 
enment, have all passed to spirit life; but 
the memory of the little "Fox Sisters" 
will ever be enshrined as a priceless 
treasure in the hearts of grateful millions 
all over the earth. 

The work begun in so humble a man 
ner has met with unprecedented success. 
It has its teachers and adherents in every 
portion of the civilized world, among all 
peoples and nations. Its literature com- 
prises many thousand volumes from the 
pens of the most learned and scientific, 
the most brilliant authors, poets, journal- 
ists and professional men. Newspapers 
and magazines devoted to the exposition 
and propagation of its teachings are pub- 
lished in many different languages and 
countries. Russia, Germany, F/ance, 
Italy, Spam, England, Holland, Brazil, 
Guatemala, Australia, India, and the 
I Inited States, all have their Spiritualistic 

journals. 

Tip- knowledge of, and belief in Spirit- 
ualism is quite genera] upon the Pacific 

Coast. As Itr back as the year [857 

Spiritualism was openly advocated by 
some advanced thinkers in California. 
M< >m prominenl among these wasColone' 
Ransom, publisher of the Marysville 

J/rnilit, who was an avowed Spiritualist, 

and oneof his sons, Elijah, was a medium. 
When the Banner of Light firs! made 
its appearam «• in that \< ar, ( done! Ran- 
som, its agent, scattered the new paper 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



among the people in the city of Marys- 
ville. 

In the city of San Francisco seances 
were held at the house of Russel Ellis 
on Sansome street, at the International 
Hotel, and also at the residence of J. P. 
Man row, on Russian Hill, where the most 
remarkable manifestations occurred. 

The first lectures on Spiritualism de- 
livered in San Francisco were given by 
Mrs. Eliza W. Farnham, in 1859. Mrs. 
Farnham also lectured in Santa Cruz, 
and with her intellectual and energetic 
friend, Mrs. Georgiana B. Kirby, did 
much to aid the spread ot liberal thought 
in that part ot the Scate. Nelson J. Un- 
derwood. W. H. Rhodes, G. VV. Baker, a 
young man named Beauharnais, and 
others lectured occasionally, but no regu- 
lar course ot lectures was established 
until 1864, when Emma Hardinge came 
to this State. Mrs. Hardinge lectured, 
and organized The Friends of Progress, 
and the meetings were free to the public. 

In 1864 Mrs. C M. Stowe and Mary 
Beach, mediums, arrived overland. Mrs. 
Stowe lectured in Pickwick Hall, Con- 
gress Hall, and other places. From that 
time until the present, California has been 
favored with visits from some of the best 
mediums and finest orators in the world. 
Mrs. Cora L. V. Tappan has visited the 
Siate three times — the last time as Mrs. 
Richmond. She did much to advance 
Spiritualism on this Coast. 

Mrs. Laura Cuppy (who became Mrs. 
Smith, and alterward Mrs. Kendricks) 
labored constant! v on the platform for 
ten years. Benjamin Todd arrived in 
September 1866 and lectured throughout 
the State for several years, during a part 
of the time editing a spiritual paper here. 
Mrs Laura De Force Gordon came to 
the State in 1867, and lectured in San 
Jose, Sacramento and this city. Selden 
J. Finney, a brilliant orator, a man of 
great culture "and intellect, spent the 
Closing years of his life here, and did 
mill li to advance the cause of Spiritual- 
ism. The speakers who have occupied 
the spiritual rostrum during the last 
twenty- live years make a long list. 



Among prominent ones from abroad are 
the following: J. M. Peebles, Warren 
Chase, Benjamin Todd, Dean Clarke, J. 
S Loveland, Gerald Massey, P. B. Ran- 
dolph, Wm. Denton, Thomas Gales Fors- 
ter, Chauncey Barnes, Bishop Beals, 
Geo. Chaney, Lois Waisbrooker, Fanny 
Allyn, Jenny Leys, H. F. M. Brown, Belle 
Chamberlain, Miss Augusta Whiting, G. P- 
Colby, W. J. Colville, J. J. Morse,Charles 
Dawbarn, Moses Hull, Mrs. R. S. Lillie, 
Mattie Hull, Prof. Lockwood, Cora L. V, 
Richmond, Dr. J. R. Buchanan, Prof. A J. 
Swarts, Mrs. Longley, Walter Howell. 

One of the first mediums who gave her 
services to the public was Mrs. Deiterlee, 
residing on Capp street. Ada Hoyt Foye 
advertised to give sittings at 131 Mont- 
gomery street in 1866. Mrs. M. }. Hen- 
dee, who had for several years served 
the cause as a healer in Sacramento and 
Petaluma, opened an office in San Fran- 
cisco in 1869. Charles H. Foster, Henry 
Slade and Jesse Shephard have visited 
the State and given the public evidence 
of spirit return through their wonderful 
mediumship. Among the early mediums 
we find the names ot Mrs. Sproule (now 
Mrs. Robinson), Mrs. Breed, Lou. M. 
Kerns, Mrs. E. Beman, Mme. Clara An" 
tonia, Mrs. C. M. Stowe, Mary Beach, 
Wella and Pet Anderson, Amanda Wig- 
gin, Mrs. Babbitt. Of those of later 
years there are a great many. 

The first California State Convention 
was held in San Jose, in May, j866. It 
elected a State Central Committee, con- 
sisting of J. H. Atkinson, J. D. Pierson, 
P.W. Randle.J.C. Mitchell, H.J. Payne, 
J. H. Josselyn, C. C. Coolidge and C. C. 
Knowles of San Francisco; A. C. Stowe. 
J. J. Owen and W. N. Slocum of Santa 
Clara; Henry Miller, W. F. Lyon, H. H. 
Bowman and C. W. Hoit of Sacramento; 
E. Gibbs, San Joaquin; A. B. Paul, Inyo; 
Lena Hutchinson, Mona; Thos. Loyd, 
Nevada; A. Shell enberger, Yuba; B. A. 
Allen, Butte; Dr. Hungerford, Napa; 
Mrs. Thomas Eager, Alameda; J. Glass, 
Tuolumne; C. P. Hatch, Sonoma; L. A. 
Gitchell, Del Norte; James Christian, 
Plumas; J.J. Fisk, Yolo. This committee 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



issued an address to Spiritualists, asking 
co-operation in efforts to advance the 
cause, sustain local societies and annual 
conventions. The result of this effort 
was productive of good for a time; but 
gradually the work languished, and 
finally ceased. 

In the year 1874 a secret society of 
Spiritualists was originated by A. C. 
Stowe, and "circles." as they were called > 
were instituted in San Francisco, San 
lose and Sacramento. .Mrs. Laverna 
Matthews was President of the San Fran- 
cisco branch, serving two terms. This 
society was also a failure. Other local 
societies were formed, and after serving 
their purpose passed away, leaving little 
recoid of their work. 

The first Children's Progressive Ly- 
ceum organized in the State was in Sac- 
ramento, early in 1865, by .Mr. R. Moore, 
w York. .Mr. Moore then came to 
S m Francisco, and organized the first 
.:n in this city, July 16th, 1865, at a 
hall on the corner ot Fourth and Jessie 
Mr. Moore was chosen Con- 
dui 'tor, and J. C. Mitchell Assistant, with 
a full corps of Leaders of ( Groups, among 
whom were Mrs. E. P. Thorndyke, Mrs. 
S. B. Whitehead, Dr. J. R. Payne and J. 
\Y. Mackie. The Lyceum did good work 
for two years, and then suspended. Sev- 
eral attempts were m ide to revive it, but 
they were short-lived efforts, and not 

until June 14th, 1872, was a permanent 

im established. Mr. Wm. M. Ryder 

was the first Conductor, and Mr. |. M. 

Mathews Secretary and Treasurer. Mrs. 
Laverna Mathews was next elei ted Con 

dUCtor, and served for many years. That 

Lyceum is still alive, and is ably con- 
ducted by Mr. and Mrs. Wadsworth, Mr. 
Gilman and Mrs. Richardson. 

The first t Oakland Lyceum was started 
in [776, with Father Mabrv as Condui tor. 
assisted by Mrs. Mabry, Marshall Curtis 

and Others. It alSO Was discontinued. 

The second ( Oakland I \ < eum was 1 
ized in [882, with Mrs. M. A. Gunn as 
Conductor. It was in the intere 
this Lyceum, in which Mrs. Julia S 

was an active worker, that the 



Carrier Dove was started in Septem- 
ber, 18S3. The first number was issued 
as a little Lyceum paper, edited by Mrs. 
Schlesinger and Mrs. Jennie Mason. That 
Lyceum has continued until the present 
time, and is now ably conducted by Mrs. 
Chas. Gunn. 

The first society incorporated under 
the incorporation laws of the State of 
California was "The First Spiritual Union 
of San Francisco," of which Mrs. La- 
verna Mathews was the able President. 
This society suspended its meetings when 
"The Golden Gate Religious and Philo- 
sophical Society " was organized and in- 
corporated in the year 1885. The former 
society still exists, and its Trustees hold 
regular business meetings, while the lat- 
ter society has become entirely a thing of 
the past, although at the beginning it 
seemed to promise great results. Its 
meetings were held at Metropolitan Tem- 
ple, under the business management of 
M. B. Dodge, with Mrs. Elizabeth L. Wat- 
son as speaker. 

The Society of Progressive Spiritualists 
was incorporated in [883, with II. C. Wil- 
son as President. This society owns 
property to the value of about forty 
thousand dollars, the donation of Mrs. 
Eunice Sleeper, and hopes sometime to 
build a temple worthy of the cause in this 

city. It also owns the largest spiritual 
library on the Pacific Coast, and supports 
the leading meetings in the State, always 
employing the best speakers and medi- 
ums to occupy the platform. 
Another incorporated society that did 

-rand work during the four years of its 
exist- nee was "The Spi ritualists' State 

Campmeeting Association," organized in 
October, [884. This movement was first 
inaugurated by Mrs. Julia Schlesinger and 
Mrs. Frani es A 1 1 in 1 h< • two ladies 
outlined the plan ol a State Campmeet- 
ing, which they presented t<» Mr. M. c. 
Wilson, who w.is then President of the 
, oi I'io- 1. . .;■. e Spiritualists, 1 1<- 
at once entered into the spirit of the 
movement, and gave them encoi 
mem and assistance, inviting them to 

til their views upon the platform. 



26 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



Mrs. M. Miller, then one of the Directors 
in the same society also entered heartily 
into the work, and the result was a call 
for a convention to be held at the Nep* 
tune Gardens, Alameda, where Mrs. Lo- 
gan and her brother, Walter Hyde, then 
resided. At that convention the State 
Campmeeting Association was organized 
and incorporated. Mr. H. C. Wilson was 
elected president. The following year 
the meeting under its auspices was held 
at San Jose, and considerable interest was 
awakened. The two following years the 
conventions were held in Oakland, and 
the very best talent obtainable employed. 
Mr. }. J. Morse, of England, was first 
brought to this coast under its auspices, 
W. J. Colville, Mrs. R. S. Lillie and Ed. 
gar Emerson, the celebrated platform 
test medium, also came here under en- 
gagement of the Campmeeting Associa- 
tion During the two years of its great 
success, its tents were pitched upon the 
beautiful banks of Lake Merritt, in the 
city of Oakland. The last year it was 
held there, Dr. and Mrs. Schlesinger pub- 
lished a little paper called The Daily 
Dove, in which was reported the full 
proceedings each day. This was contin- 
ued during the entire month of the camp- 
meeting, with the exception of the last 
five days, when the regular monthly .Car- 
rier Dove, containing a full report of the 
meeting was issued. 

The failure of the State Campmeeting 
was the result of a change of the officers 
who had worked it up from the begin- 
ning to the height of prosperity and in- 
fluence. The following year a tent meet- 
ing was held in San Francisco under the 
new management which was a decided 
failure, and ended the work and useful- 
ness of what was once a strong organiza- 
tion, that wielded great influence for 
good and for the advancement of the 
cause. 

The press notices of the Convention 
during the two years it was held m Oak- 
land were fair and liberal, and many 
were brought to a knowledge of the 
truth thereby. The failure of the State 
Association had a disheartening effect 



upon the old workers and leaders in the 
movement, and Spiritualism received a 
blow from which it has not recovered. 

Since the suspension of the State As- 
sociation, other Campmeetings of a local 
character have been held in Oakland, 
Summerland and San Bernardino. In 
Oregon, the New Era Camp has attracted 
some attention; also the meeting held in 
Washington. In Portland, Or., are sev- 
eral flourishing societies. In Seattle and 
Tacoma, Wash., and as far north as Vic- 
toria, British Columbia, are societies 
where local talent is employed, and where 
much good work is being done. 

Spiritual societies exist in many towns 
and cities throughout the State of Cali- 
fornia. The most prominent outside of 
San Francisco are in Los Angeles, San 
Diego, San Bernardino, Riverside, Sum- 
merland, Santa Cruz, San Jose, Oakland, 
Stockton, Sacramento, Pasadena and 
National City. In San Francisco there 
are eight incorporated societies, holding 
meetings and employing speakers and 
mediums. 

Of spiritual papers there have been 
quite a number published at intervals 
during the past thirty-five years. The 
first Spiritual paper published on this 
coast was The Family Circle, issued in 
in San Francisco in 1859. It was short- 
lived, and so little impression did it make 
on the Spiritualists of that day that very 
few even recall its existence. 

Then followed The Golden Gate, started 
by Fanny Green McDougal, in Sacra- 
mento. It was a well written sheet, as 
might be expected under the control of 
a woman of such ability and experience, 
but it was impecunious from the start, 
and starved to death before it had time 
to make its merits known. 

That failure served as a warning against 
further attempts until 1867, when Benja- 
min Todd, lecturer, and \V. II. Manning, 
practical printer, issued the Banner of 
Progress^ headquarters in San Francisco. 
This was a large, well-conducted paper, 
and continued nearly two years, when it 
suspended, Thenext was Common Sense^ 
started in 1S7 | by \Y. X. and Amanda M. 




KATIE POX JENCKEN. 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



2 7 



Slocum, which managed to live through 
the first year and a few weeks into the 
second, when it suspended. In May, 1875. 
The Philomathean, a pamphlet-shaped 
weekly, was started by Prof. W. H. Cha- 
ney, which also passed away after a brief 
existence. 

A number of years elapsed before the 
next venture in Spiritualistic journalism, 
which was made by Mr. and Mrs. Win- 
chester, publishers of Light for All. 
This paper did a good work during the 
two years of its existence, but it finally 
suspended publication. During a portion 
of the brief career of Light for All, the 
paper had a rival in The Reasoner, pub- 
lished by Dr. J. D. MacLennan of San 
Francisco. The reason for publishing 
The R ea so tier was never apparent, unless 
the paper was intended to serve as an ad- 
vertising medium for its owner. This 
method of advertising, however, was too 
expensive, and the eflort was aban- 
doned. 

In September, 1883, The Carrier Dove 
irted in Oakland, by Mrs. J. Schles- 
Lyceum paper. It soon out- 
grew its juvenile character, and assumed 
tin- proportions and nature of a first-class 
illustrated monthly magazine. It was the 
first spiritual magazine in the world that 
in ide a specialty of publishing portraits 
and biographical sketches of prominent 
Spiritualists. After being issued three 
years and a halt as a monthly, it was 

changed into a weekly, but still retained 
its magazine Form and illustrations. The 
continued until the latter part of 
1893— just ten yr;ir-> from its first appear- 
ance— when the name was changed to 
the Pat <■>'/> ( i^t Spiritualist^ and to the 
form of a large eight page weekly 1 

paper. This publication was not a 

■ I 
m >nths <-f hard work on the part of the 
proprietors — Dr. and Mrs. Schlesirj 
the 1 itter's health failed completely 
owing to the long continued and constant 

taxation of body and brain and the 

Pacific ( 'oast Spiritualist ceased to 
when its editor could no longer wield 

her pen. 



During the existence of the Carrier 
Dove, another paper, called the Golden 
Gate, was started, which was ably edited 
by Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Owen. It was a fine 
eight-page paper, and did good work 
during the six and a half years of its pub- 
lication. 

The Pacific Leader was started in Ala- 
meda, but it only lived three months. 

The fi'ortd's Advance Thought is an 
excellent publication, conducted by Mrs. 
Lucy Mallory of Portland, Oregon. 

A paper called The Reconstructor was 
published by Prof. J. S. Loveland, in 
Summerland, Cal., for some time; but it 
changed hands, and was called The Suni- 
merland by the new management. It 
suspended in 1S93. 

During the last year three small Spirit- 
ual papers have made their appearance 
in California: The Medium, of Los An- 
geles, the LLera'd of Light, of San Diego, 
and Progress, ol San Francisco. 

In July, 1895, the Spiritualists ol South- 
ern California organized a Camp-meeting 
Association, and the first meeting was 
held in Santa Monica. Mr. S. D. 
Dye was the president. It continued 
three weeks and much good was 
accomplished. Many able speakers and 
excellent mediums occupied the pi, it- 
form. At the conclusion of the camp- 
meeting some of the most prominent 
mediums and speakers visited Los 
Angeles and held a Spiritualists Congress 
continuing six days with three sessions 

daily. A great interest was awakened 

in the en! . 

When the congress was ended, Dr. 
Schlesinger of San Francisco, Mis. 
Cowell of Oakland, and Mis. Frietag of 

National City, assisted by Mr. S. D. 

ecured Hi'- Los Angeles Theatre 
and began <>t meetings which 

remarkably successful. Immense 
audien • d the theatre evei y Sun- 

day night tM hear the wonderful 
given by I >r. Schlesinger and Mrs Cowell 
and the beautiful inspired addres 
the young trance medium Mi ;, Maud 
Freitag. The result <»i their lab.. 
the organization "t a new S 1 iety called 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



The "Harmonial Spiritualists Asso- 
ciation." The theatre was secured for a 
year and the good work inaugurated 
under most favorable auspices. Dr. N. 
F. Ravlin was engaged as their speaker 
and the best mediums are employed to 
co-operate with him. There are three 
other societies in that city holding 
regular meetings. A new society has 
recently been incorporated in San Fran- 
cisco called the "California Psychical 
Society" which promises good work. 
Under its auspices Mr. J. J. Morse of 
England was engaged and a spirit o* 
investigation awakened, far reaching and 
beneficial in its results. 

It is impossible in a brief review of the 
work and workers of Spiritualism during 
the past forty-eight years to give more 
than a cursory glance at each. The work 
is so great, and the workers so many 
that it would take many volumes like 
this to do justice to all. It is a heaven 
inspired movement and the angels are 
its directors and evangels. Its mission is 



to break the fetters and chains which 
were forged in an ignorant and super- 
stitious past and set humanity free, turn 
their faces sun-ward, and give them 
glimpses of glory unspeakable. 

Many of our noble pioneers have 
passed on leaving no written record of 
noble deeds and unselfish lives. Such 
are remembered only by the influence 
they exerted for good upon the lives of 
others which, however, is permanent, 
and lasting at the stars. 

All have done good in their own way 
and awakened an interest in the grand 
truths of Spiritualism that will some day 
bear fruit and bless humanity, even 
though the pioneers who sowed'the seed 
amid persecution and misrepresentation 
may have passed away, and their names 
be forgotten among men. In the land of 
souls they will live and be loved for their 
unselfish deeds, their devotion to truth, 
and fidelity to an unpopular cause, which 
the present generation cannot under- 
st nd. 



tmm% 





■u^^t^, 4^*V 



XJ. 





JULIA SCHLESINGER. 



Inspirational Medium, Writkr, and Editor. 



It has been said that the history of t 
man's life and labor in any public ca 
paelty is best wiitten by his friends, 
and the same may be said of a woman's 
work. Taking this view of the subject, 
in regponse to the oft-repeated request 
f >r a* 'sketch" of myself, I have gleaned 
11 few words from the published writings 
uf those whom I am proud and happy 
to number among my choicest, dearest 
friends, for such they have been to me 
through storm and sunshine, ever the 
same steadfast, unwavering friends. 
First among these, I quote William 
Kmmette Coleman's tribute on the 
tenth anniversary of the Carrier 
DOVZ, which u;i8 celebrated Sept. 20, 
1893, at the opening of the new home, 
No. 1 Polk Street. Mr. Coleman said: 
me ten years ago a little woman 
living in Oakland issued the first num- 
ber of a little paper devoted to the chil- 
dren in the Spiritual Lyceum, called 

the Carrier Dovb. The publisher 
and editor were without experience in 

journalistic ventures or in writing for 
tie- public, it was the tentative effort 

of an active mind and an earnest heart 

throbbing and pulsing with humanita- 
rian impulse to do a little something 
for the advancement of truth ami re- 
form in tie- world. The little paper 
struggled along under difficulties, but 
it was issued regularly, ami before a 
gnat while it grew to larger propor- 
tions, and its tie Id of endeavor w 
panded. Now, not sloue were the lii- 
tle ones in tin- Lyceum Included in its 
purview; children <>f a larger growth 

(and we are all children in Nature's 
primary .school on this planet) were 

taken Into its fold, and the gospel of 
Modern Spiritualism — the evangel of 



"glad tidings of great joy," — was 
preached in its pages " for the healing 
of the nations." 

Year by year the Carrier Dove 
grew and thrived, increasing in size 
and circulation. A removal from Oak- 
land to San Francisco accelerated its 
progress and development, until from 
the tiny sheet of its initial number it 
became the large quarto magazine, 
richly freighted with choice viands of 
intellectual and spiritual food, with 
which you are all doubtless so familiar. 
Year after year has continued this con- 
stant evolution, until now, by a segre- 
gation of material and endeavor, the 
whilom monthly has been succeeded 
by the Pacific Coast Spiritualist, 
a popular weekly filled with current 
events and matters of interest to the 
►Spiritualists of all shades of opinion 
and in all fields of action. Phenomena, 
philosophy, science, literature, all find 
a place in its pag< h. 

All this has been the work of the in- 
domitable little woman whom we have 
met this evening to honor. She may 
well be proud of the record of her ten 

year-' arduous labor in the field of Spir- 
itual journalism. Never has she fal. 
tered, never turned back from the work 

devolving upon her. With her face 
ever to the front, with soul afire with 
enthusiasm for the task she bad so 

bravely undertaken, she has p 

on and on and on. The culmination 

of her good work we b: t \e gathered to- 
night t-> accentuate, by our pr< 

and Hvmp.it by, and it may be, in 

cases, by some more substantial evi* 
dence <>f our appreciation of her noble 
labors faithfully executed. Bhe well 
rosritfl Jt'i the i ement, all tin* 



3° 



JULIA SCHLESINGER. 



kindly aid, that may be bestowed upon 
her. 

Nor should the zealous labors of her 
faithful co-worker be overlooked. Ac- 
cording to tiie law of nature, the two 
sexes are requisite to make the perfect 
whole. Neither is complete without 
the other. S >, pari passu with the ac- 
tivity in the domain of mind, ofttimes 
of body, also, of the woman projector 
and carrier forward of the Dove > has 
been the active work of the male coad- 
jutor in the realms of the material and 
financial. A heavy debt of gratitude 
is due to the latter for his unswerving 
devotion to the interests of his better 
half's literary venture, his self-sacrific- 
ing toil and tireless efforts in behalf of 
the success of the Dove in all its vicis- 
situdes, from first to last. 

To v oth of them, then, the editor and 
the publisher, we extend our hearty 
congratulations upon the success so far 
attending their joint labors, with the 
sincere wish that what has already 
been attained may be only a slight fore- 
taste of the much richer and grander 
results with which their future endeav- 
ors may be crowned." 

Another well-known writer and 
ipeaker, also editor and publisher of 
the Lyceum Banner of London, Eng- 
land, Mr. J. J. Morse, recently published 
a portrait and brief sketch, from which 
we take the following extracts: 

"In publishing the portrait of Mrs. 
Julia Schles'nger, the editor of The 
Carrier Dove, published in San Fran- 
cisco, in the Lyceum Banner, the ed- 
itors desire to pay a graceful compli- 
ment to an earnest Spiritualist, a faith- 
ful and devoted worker, a warm friend 
of the children, and one deeply inter- 
ested in all that pertains to Lyceum 
methods. 

Mrs. Schlesinger is one of the women 
that have come to the front in the 
ranks of American Spiritualism, and 
Kg editor, writer, and speaker has ren- 
dered invaluable service to our work in 
San Francisco. 

The writer of this short sketch and 
his family are indebted to her for many 



kindly actions, and ffo'ni their present 
home send warm greetings to their es- 
teemed and far-away friend. 

As a devoted wife and mother, Mrs. 
Schlesinger bears an honored name, 
while her husband, Dr. Louis Schlesin- 
ger, is one of the most notable medi- 
ums of the United States, whose fame 
is wide-spread, and whose work has 
converted hundreds to our cause. 

Mrs. Schlesinger wields a facile pen, 
Writes ably on all women's questions, 
and takes a broad and liberal view of 
human duties in the state and in the 
home." 

The following is partly composed of 
extracts from a brief sketch published in 
the Carrier Dove some years ago with 
additional items concerning later work , 
from the pen of that grand pioneer me- 
dium, Mrs Hendee-Rogers. 

In the Dove's pages the reader discov- 
ers the true index to the character of its 
editor. She stamps it with her individ- 
uality in its general appearance, style and 
make-up ; and the nature of its contents 
reflects her broad, liberal views not only 
through the editorial department but in 
the judicious selections which form an 
important feature of its contents. Born 
and reared in the West, Mrs. Schleslin- 
ger partakes of the spirit of freedom and 
liberality characteristic of its broad and 
rolling prairies, it! towering mountains 
and majestic rivers. The restraints and 
conventionalities of "society" are irksome 
to such a nature, and its shams and arti- 
ficialities have no place or part in her 
life. Her home and children are more 
precious to her than all the fashionable 
world outside and in it she finds the 
time and conditions that enable her to 
do an amount of literary work that is 
quite astonishing. 

From bitter personal experience she 
Jearned that only through individual 
freedom can women be lifted above the 
power of men of low moral character 
to crush and enslave. She saw that in 
order to be free women must be finan- 
cially independent, that justice must be 
accorded to them, not only in the pay- 
ment of equal wages for equal service. 



JULIA SCHLESINGER. 



31 



but in the means of acquiring a know- 
ledge of practical affairs. The educa- 
tional facilities of woman should be on 
on equality with those of the other sex, 
and no limit should be placed to the 
sphere of her action in life. The deep 
convictions and sympathetic feelings of 
Mrs. Bchlesinger in relation to this and 
kindred branches of reform led her to 
extend her field of labors beyond the 
columns of the Dove, and in January, 1890 
she began the publication of an illus- 
strated magazine of 62 pages called 
The Gleaner devoted to the interests of 
women, socially, industrially and finan- 
cially. This work was continued six 
months, at the end of which time Mrs. 
Schlesinger was obliged lo suspend its 
publication owing to ill health through 
over-taxation in doing all the editorial 
work on both publications. The publi 
cation of the Dove continued until the 
Pacific Coast Spiritualist was estab- 
lished in Aug. st, 1893. 

In addition to her household and jour- 
nalistic work Mrs. Schlesingor has been 
for several years collecting and arranging 
material for a work of great value as a 
historical record of Spiritualism on the 
Pacific Coast, embodying portraits and 
biographical sketches of not only the 
early pioneers in the cause but also the 
present-day workers. 

During the past year she has been, and 
still is, a regular contributor to Li.i(lit of 
Truth, published in Cincinnati, Ohio, the 
largest weekly paper devoted to Spiritu- 
alism in the world. She has also written, 



under a nom de phone, articles upon thi 
social and industrial problems of the day 
which have been published in various 
prominent secular papers. 

Unobtrusive and silent as to public 
speaking, yet powerful in deed and writ" 
ten expression for the truths she holds 
dear. What wonderful inspiration has 
been given her to start and carry out the 
publishing of the Carrier Dove for ten 
years under the most trying conditions, 
and surrounded by family cares; and 
now, by the inspiration of her guides and 
l n the face of great difficulties she has 
gone bravely on, relying on the good 
angels to sustain her, and has at last 
opened the dove cote for another fledg- 
ling, born of truth, love and earnestness 
to come forth in the cause of Spiritualism. 
Her heart is ever open to befriend and 
assist others. Surely her mediumship is 
of a very high order when she silently 
obeys the influence of her angel guides 
to go forth and do their bidding, and has 
been so wonderfully prospered in sustain- 
ing her work, when others who have 
started with aid and friends to sustain 
them have fallen by the wayside, and the 
sound of their voices are heard no more. 
May the Pacific Coast Spiritualists and 
liberals, and all good-minded people 
stand by this brave woman and assist her 
in her present noble undertaking to res- 
cue from obscurity and forget fulness the 
memories of our pioneer workers in the 
Vineyard of Truth. 



• 




DR. LOUIS SCHLESINGER. 



Test Medium: and Healer. 



Dr. Schlesinger was born in Liverpool, 
England, April 17, 1832. Ho was reared 
in the Jewish faith, to which he adhered 
until middle life when he became a 
Spiritualist. 

When about 16 years of age he came to 
America, and at once engaged in business 
in which he proved very successful, trav- 
eling throughout the United States and 
Mexico wherever his commercial in- 
terests led him. He amassed wealth and 
spent it freely among the poor and 
needy. 

He became convinced of the truth of 
spiritualism through the mediumship of 
the celebrated Charles H. Foster of New 
York. 

During his investigations Dr. Schles- 
inger 's own medial powers were de- 
veloped, and he at once entered into the 
work with the earnestness and zeal which 
characterized all his undertakings. His 
whole time was devoted to giving sittings 
and healing, in each of which he was 
remarkable successful. His tests were 
astonishing, and convinced many stub- 
born skeptics of the truth of spirit com- 
munion, and his cures embraced many 
obstinate cases that had resisted all other 
medical treatment. 

There is probably not another medium 
, living who has done more for the cause 
of spiritualism than Dr. Schlesinger. 
I lis time and talents were for many years 
given freelv to the public. In fact, lie 
never charged for sittings until the 
Carrier Dove was started in [883 and 
then the guides told him that he could 

ask those who came to him for sittings 

to subscribe for the Dove, which was one 
dollar a year, as it was lor the spread of 
the truth and they would become agents 
of the spirit world in disseminating light 



and knowledge. As the Dove grew in 
size, and expenses increased, the price 
was raised and Dr. Schlesinger gave 
sittings free to all subscribers, but was 
obliged to charge others for his services 
in order to sustain the paper. For ten 
years he gave his entire time to this work? 
and the result of his labors was the sup- 
port of the Dove. None but those came 
into the privacy of his home life know 
the sacrifices he made to sustain that 
work. He has traveled extensively, be- 
ing absent from home and loved ones 
for many months at a time, in order, as 
he said, "to keep the Dove on the wing." 
When it was decided to start a weekly 
paper The Pacific Coast Spiritualist 
he entered heartily into the work with 
the enthusiasm of a much younger man, 
bending all his energies to the task of 
supplying the funds with which to sus- 
tain the new enterprise, and every dollar 
he earned, aside from the absolute 
necessities of his family, was devoted to 
this one object until the overtaxed edi- 
tor-Mrs. Schlesinger was obliged to give 
up her literary work for a time on account 
of failing health, and the paper was 
discontinued. 

Dr. Schlesinger's special work is the 
conversion of skeptics. In this line he is 
unsurpassed, as the thousands of testi- 
monials from the press all over the 
country verifies. During his travels he 
received hundreds of press indorsements 
from the leading newspaper men of many 
States. These are not "paid for puffs," 
but the voluntary reports of those who 
have tested his wonderful mediumship 
and who became converts to Spiritualism 
through the positive evidence given them. 
He possesses the remarkable power of 
curing tobacco and morphine habits. In 





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DR. LOUIS SCHLESINGER. 



33 



rare cases he has failed ; the failures be- 
ing when the person was morally weak 
and incapable of realizing the dreadful 
results following such unnatural in- 
dulgences upon the spirit when disrobed 
of the earthly body. As a healer he has 
been remarkable successful. Hundreds 
of testimonials from gratelul people all 
over the country whom he has treated 
during his travels, and who nave visited 
him at his own home, bear witness to 
the virtue of his treatments and their 
efficacy in curing obstinate and difficult 
cases, such as rheumatism, sciatica, 
partial paralysis, and many ills that afflict 
humanity. Hundreds have been cured 
of chewing and smoking tobacco. This 
(like converting skeptics) is one of the 
doctor's special phases of mediumship, 
and one in which he takes great pleasure 
in exercising, and in which he is almost 
invariably successful. 

Dr. Schlesinger was at one time a 
prosperous tea-merchant, worth many 
thousands of dollars, but when he be- 
came converted to Spiritualism he at 
once set about doing good with his wealth 
relieving the distress of the poor and 
destitute until his fortune was gone, and 
he had nothing more to give. Even then 
he trusted implicitly to the guidance of 
his spirit friends, confident that they 
would sustain him in his efforts to bless 
and comfort the needy and comfortless. 
In this he- has no I been mistaken; for, 
although unable to accumulate wealth 
again, he has been enabled to do a 

■ I work for humanity that shall 

endure long after he has been "gathered 
to his fath< 

Looking back over the years that have 
elapsed since Mr. Schlesinger became 
converted to spiritualism, and renoui red 
"Tier faith ot his fathers," we see'them 
crowned with good deeds, made bl 
with sweet charities and hallowed with 
spiritual treasures which have been freely 
nsed to the spiritually poor and 
blmd. An indefatigable worker, he 
wearies not in well doing, but early and 
late is found at his post of dutv, laboring 

to build up a cause to which he is de- 



voted heart and soul. His public services 
are always freely bestowed, and to the 
thousands to whom he has given the first 
evidences of a future life, he will ever be 
held in greatful remembrance. 

During his early experiences as a 
medium he suffered many persecutions 
from those who, like Saul of Tarsus, felt 
that they were doing God's service by 
persecuting one who dared dissent from 
the faith in which he had been reared ; 
but ever true to the voices of the dear 
guides whom he could hear (being 
clairaudient), he wavered not but re- 
mained true to the new light which had 
dawned upon him knowing that though 
earthly friends had failed him, he had a 
band ot grand, true souls on the other 
side who would guide his feet aright and 
place them firmly at last on the everlast- 
ing mountains of rest and peace. 



N. F. RAVLIN'S ACCOUNT OF Ills CON- 
VERSION TO SPIRITUALISM THROUGH 
rill: MEDIUMSHIP OF DR. SCHLESIN- 
GER. 

I was hostile to Spiritualism, and be- 
lieved its basic claims to be founded in 
falsehood and deception. Of all sub- 
jects it interested me the least. It com- 
prehended all that was immoral and 
vile. To know that one was a spirit- 
ualist was enough. There was no 
sity "f any further acquaintance. 
As I valued my soul's eternal sal- 
vation, I would ste.-r ( lear of them. 
It is in this way people generally reason 
about spiritualism. I was no exception 
to tin- rule. 1 vetilv thought 1 knew a 
great dial, while, in fact, my knowledge 
dingly limited. I did not be- 
in spirit return, and I knew my 
kindred would never come to me 
through a third p< ; 

Bul my unbelief did not cli 
and my knowledge of wh.n my loved 

0n« 3 would oi would not do w.is pio- 

v n t'. I" mere ignorant assumption. 
'Ik-- memorable sitting with Dr. Schles" 
inger was what would be termed an 
nt .- that is, there was no design 
in it on my part. He v, 



34 



DR. LOUIS SCHLESINGER. 



me. I never saw him before, and did 
not know that he was either a spirit- 
ualist or medium. Hence, I did not go 
to him for a sitting. Why should I 
when I did not believe in spirit relurn> 
or that mediums were anything but 
fakirs and charlatans. I was accidentally 
or providentially in his office upon a 
literary errand. Then he told me frankly 
who he was and what he was. I was 
caught. But it was decidely against my 
principles to run, even for Satan himself. 
So I resolved to stand my ground and 
have a litile fun at the old gentleman's 
expense. But the expense was on the 
other side. My false premise was 
inundated by a cyclonic flood from the 
spirit world, and all my conclusions were 
overwhelmed thereby. My loved ones 
did come to me through a third person. 
They proved their identity beyond aU 
question. In each case their full names were 
given, the diseases with which they died 
and the towns where they died, together 
with a characteristic message from each; 
my son gave a lengthy quotation from his 
own funeral sermon which I preached ten 
years previous in the city of Chicago, not a 
word of which was ever written or printed. 

My father had been a Baptist preacher 
for nearly fifty years, and in addition to 
giving his name, he gave an epitome of 
my life for thirty years more minutely 
than I could possibly have written it out. 

My kindred that I mourned as dead 
were all communicating with me alive 
and happy. The power that demon- 
strated the conscious existence of my 
loved ones who had died dug the grave 
of my orthodox religion. The same 
ceremony that interred the one enthroned 
the other. I saw the errors of my old 
theology. From the pulpit I publicly 
repudiated every tenet of the religion in 
which I had been raised, laid down my 
credentials and gave up my salary. I 
openly avowed myself a Spiritualist, and 
suffered all the ostracism and reproach 



meted out to such as swerve from the old 
faith. But I do not regret it. What was 
loss to me I count gain for the Truth's 
sake. Hence I have made no sacrifice. 
I owe not only my present knowledge, 
but my life to Dr. Schlesinger. Not only 
was he the open gateway through whom 
my kindred manifested themselves, but 
an intemperate smoking habit of twenty 
years was effectually broken up. Before 
this I should have been a mental wreck 
had it not been for him. He was made 
the instrument of saving me from this 
deplorable fate. It is impossible in this 
brief tribute to do him justice. His 
mediumship is pronounced, and his tests 
are clear cut and convincing. The charge 
of fraud has never stained his medium- 
ship, nor has he in a single instance been 
exposed as seeking to impose upon a 
credulous public. 

Honest skeptics will find in him an 
honest and most reliable medium. His 
tests are simply wonderful, affording 
proof positive that our loved ones live 
beyond the grave. Any atheistic 
materialist or agnostic, who may truly 
desire to know the facts as to man's 
future, will find the truth, if honestly 
sought, through Dr. Schlesinger's 
supernormal gifts. Every effort may be 
made to account for the phenomena 
upon some other hypothesis than that 
claimed, but at last the most rational 
conclusion will be accepted, viz., that 
man lives after so-called death, and that f 
as a conscious intelligent being, he can 
return under certain conditions and com- 
municate with those he has left behind 
him in the mortal form. 

I find the profoundest satisfaction in 
the knowledge ot this tact. Spiritualism 
demonstrated to be true embraces with- 
in itself all there is of truth in all the re- 
ligious philosophies and sciences of earth, 
besides embodying the stupendous idea 
of eternal progression as the heritage of 
every one of earth's children. 




MRS. M. T. IvONGIvEY. 



MRS. M. T. LONGLEY. 



The subject of this sketch was born in 
South Boston Mass. May 6, 1853. Her 
parents were John B. Shelhamer— a 
native of Wuttemberg, Germany, who 
came to this country when a young man 
of about twenty and .Mary O. Pratt — 
Shelhmer, a native of Boston, Mass. One 
of a large family of children /our of whom 
are still in the mortal, each endowed with 
rare mediumistic qualities. Mary Theresa 
at the age of twelve, was taken from her 
studies in the public school, that she 
might assist the busy mother in caring for 
the younger children of the household; 
and never from that day, has this lady, 
whose eloquence and rhetoric while un- 
der the inspiration of her guides, have 
astonished large audiences received any 
instruction of a scholarly character. We 
livention this fact, because many who 
have listened to the public utterances of 
Mrs. Longley insist that she must be a 
highly educated lady; but it is strictly 
true that all the schooling this medium 
ever acquired from teacher and class- s, 
was derived from the public schools alone, 
when she was between the ages of six 
and twelve years. 

In 1 862, the father of the family enlisted 
as a volunteer in the Union army for a 
term of three vears,and valiantly marched 
to the front, leaving his heroic and patri- 
otic wife to care for her five little ones, 
whi< h she faithfully did, contributing 
largely to their support by plying hei 
needle, sometimes late into the night, 
Upon the azure ^ ;irmrIlts which were to 
be worn by soldier boys upon the tented 
field. 

It was during the three years absence 
of her husband upon the battle field, that 

Mrs. Shelhamer became a spiritualist, and 

never was therea more devoted advocate 
of our glorious Cause than this brave 
woman who faced the deacons ami the 



prominent members of the Calvinistic 
Baptist Church of which- she had been it 
member, stating to them her conviction 
of the truth of spiritualism her inabilityjto 
longer subscribe to the creed of the 
church, and requesting a letter of with- 
drawal Irom the syme, which after much 
dissent, argument, and denunciation on 
ttie part of the deacons, was granted. 
About this time, Fred the youngest boy 
of the family, then a child of six years, 
became developed as a rapping and 
tipping medium, and many messages 
were received by the mother and friends 
through the agency of a heavy mahogany 
dining table, with only the tiny hands of 
the child resting upon it. 

It was in 186S however, February 10, 
that the daughter, whose name has be- 
come world wide from her connection as 
a medium with the Banner of Light 
became entranced for the first time by a 
spirit. This occurred in the public circle 
of M. E. Beals, a well known test medium 
of Boston at that time. The child thus 
influenced by a spirit was made to per- 
sonate the characteristics, and to give 
others identification of the intelligence 
operating upon her, which was recognized 
fully by the relative to whom the spirit 
came. 

From that date onward for a number 
of years, the child continued to be con- 
trolled by various individual spirits who 

came from the other life to give evidence 

of immortality to mourning hiends ol 
earth. 

Anxious that others should gain the 

same comfort and truth from the* angel 
word thai had come to her, Mr*. Shel- 
hamer opened her hou e fin e to the 
public and on Sunday, Tuesday and 
Thursday evenings "i each week for a 
period of thnc years, held cin les of ln« 

vesication le>r all who I oine 



36 



MRS. M. T. LONGLEY. 



At these tr'i weekly seances the "house 
was filled with the curious, and the 
earnest seekers, and it was not till the 
failing health of the medium, and the 
state of her furniture and carpets which 
had been worn cut in the service de- 
manded a change, that the good lady 
suspended these free meetings and began 
to charge a small fee lor those who de- 
sired to gain audience with the spirit 
world, through the mediumship of her. 
child. 

In the meanwhile, the husband and 
father had returned to his home, a con- 
firmed and broken invalid, one of the 
many wounded soldiers, who bore the 
marks of the fearful battle of Gettysburg 
and other fields of conflict to their graves. 
Mr. Shelhamer was not a spiritualist; for 
many years he had been a confirmed 
materialist, believing that the death of 
the body is the end of all consciousness 
for man. For some time after his return, 
he opposed his wife's efforts to spread 
the truth as she underscood it and refused 
to enter the circles where his daughter, 
entranced, gave messages of cheer and 
consolation to bereaved hearts, but when 
at length he did consent to investigate, 
the trusty soldier became convinced ol 
spiritualism and held it as a cherished 
blessing to his last day on earth. 

In January 1S78. one of the spirit band 
of the medium privately told her that she 
was developing for the work of giving 
spirit messages for publication and that 
he wished her to write to the publisher 
of the Voice of Angels, a semimonthly 
Spiritual paper then printed in Bjscon.by 
D. C. Densmore, asking him if he would 
print any spirit messages that her guides 
might furnish him. At first, the young 
lady demurred, but finally consented to 
write Mr. Densmore whose paper she 
had never seen, and who himself was mi- 
known to her. The result was, that Mr. 
Densmore replied he had been told a week 
eailier by his uuide. L. Judd Pardee, that 
the spirits had prepared a message medi- 
um for the Voice of Angels from whom a 
letter would l>'- received in a few days, 
and this was just the work the little paper 



was established to perform. 

From that time on through a course of 
years, Miss Shelhamer held a weekly 
seance at which messages were spoken 
by individualized spirits through her lips 
reported for the Voice of Angels and 
printed in the regular issues of that paper 
from which Mr. Densmore received cor- 
roborative evidence of their correctness, 
sent to him by strangers from all over the 
country. During her connection with the 
Voice of Angels, Miss S. was inspired 
to write hundreds of choice poems, 
sketches, essays, editorial and othe r 
master all of which were printed in that 
paper; and for three years — before and 
after the transition of Mr. Densmore this 
lady performed all the editorial work 
upon that paper which continued until 
her withdrawal, owing to other duties 
and laDors from that office, six months 
previous to the suspension of that 
valuable journal that had many hundreds 
of readers throughout the United States. 

Meanwhile, the Banner of Light was 
in need of a medium in its Message Depart- 
ment and in obedience to spirit prompting 
its honored Editor, Luther Colby sought 
Miss Shelhamer, whom he had never be- 
fore met, at her home to hold an audience 
with her guides. 

It may here he mentioned, that, under 
the intelligent and skillful practice oi 
spirit Dr. John Warren, Miss Shelhamer 
was at this time giving successful medical 
examination and prescriptions by lettei 
and by personal sittings, and that for a 
period of three years this public work 
went on, until: owing to other labors il 
was disontinued until the season ot '9a 
and '93, when it was in a measure taken 
up, and in connection with psychometric 
delineative work, again made a most ol 
successful part of th is medium's field labor. 

As we have said, Editor Colby visited 
Miss S., to interview her guides, she 
supposing he wished to consult her 
spirit physician upon some medical case. 
The result of that sitting however proved 
most important, for it was the begining 01 
a work for the Banner of Light by 
Miss Shelhamer and her aoirlt band which 



MRS. M. T. LONGLEY 






has extended to a period of fourteen years 
In October of 1879, this lady was en- 
gaged to give her first public circle at the 
Banner of Light establishment, and 
through every season since that date, she 
has presided as medium upon its platform 
mostly, at two weekly circles — save, when, 
for three years owing to the state of her 
health, she shared her labors one day in 
the week with Mrs. B. Smith, a fine test 
medium. During this time, under the 
able management of her beloved guide, 
who answers the questions propounded 
at these circles, which queries are nol 
seen or known by the medium before 
they are read by the chairman, John 
Pierpont, many thousands of personal 
messages have been voiced from return- 
ing spirits to individual friends, words of 
instruction and truth spoken to the public 
generally, by such able minds from be- 
yond as S. B. Brittan, A. E. Newton 
and others, and philosophical and scien- 
tific subjects discussed, all of which have 
been printed in the columns of the Banner 
ht. It has always been the custom 
oi the proprietors of the Banner oj 'Light 
to hold a weekly seance with their spirit 
friends for the purpose of discussing with 
them matters of interest and importance 
pertaining to the welfare ol the Cause, oi 
their paper, and to subjects of personal 
moment. These seances are private; for 
the fourteen years of his medium's service 
spirit Pierpont has been their presiding 
intelligence and has become a valued 
friend to all connected with those weekly 
sittin 

As is well known, the medium under 
consideration has written and published 
a large number of stories, serial 
most instructive and entertaining charac- 
ter, the merits of which, those of our 
readers who have read such stuiies from 
her pen as "Crowded Out" "Crooked 
Paths" "Toilers for Bread" andothen 

th.it have been printed in the CA1 

Dovb, have judged tor themselves. She 

has also printed tw » large and important 

books which are handsomely gotten up, 
" Life and Labor in the Spirit World, " a 
work of over four hundred pa^es, nnd, 
"Outside the Gat'-." a volume of five 



hundred and fifteen pages which the 
author considers her finest work. We 
have not mentioned the many useful 
spirits belonging to her band, nor will 
space permit our designating each one 
separately; yet we cannot forbear stating 
that the Indian spirits are largely repre- 
sented and that they are honored by their 
medium fortheir fidelity and their service. 
Lo/e/a, the sprightly Indian medium who 
had been only in spirit life a few months, 
and was but seven years old, when she 
was brought to her medium to be trained 
as a messenger, has been with Mrs. 
Longley fifteen years, and she is well 
known by the readers of the spiritualistic 
press, for her name and work have often 
been mentioned in its columns. 

So completely engaged with her medi- 
umistic work had Miss Shelhamer always 
seemed to be, her friends did not think 
it possible that she could have any mat- 
rimonial intentions, and it was therefore 
a matter of great surprise, as well .is of 
congratulation, to a host of well wishers, 
when Mr. C. P. Longley, the well known 
composer of spiritual songs and music, 
and Miss M. T. Shelhamer were united 
in the — in their case — "holy bonds of 
wedlock." This happy event occurred 
at the home of the bride's sister, Mrs. I . 
B. Hatch, |r., on the evening ol Novem- 
ber 22, i- 

This union has proved a most happy 
and harmonious one. Each is a compan- 
ion to the other, and mutually helpful in 
piritual work the Angels prompt 

them to do, and it surely seems that this 

was .1 mai riage planned by pure am I 
spirits before it was consummated on 

eaith. 

Mrs. I cm-ley has been associated in 

mediumship and press work for two 

.//, a prominent 

spiritual paper published in Cincinnati, 

( )hio, and at |>i' es that papi r .1-, 

assoc iate editOI . :id<nt and un-s- 

medium. / ight oj 1 1 ..:>'. h 
cently published .; spiritual novel, in 
iled, "When tie- M< rning 

,." from h.-r pen, and ..lb' 1 similat 



38 



MRS. M. T. LONGLEY. 



Although a veteran in mediumship she 
is still young enough to accomplish much 
more for the spiritual Cause, and it is her 
desire to be so fitted for the work that 
her angel guides design for her, as to 
prove their useful and trusted instrument. 

Mr. and Mrs. Longley spent the winter 
of 1893 and 94 in California, making their 
home with Dr. and Mrs. Schlesinger, in 
San Francisco, during wnich time Mrs. 
Longley conducted a department in the 
Pacific Coast Spiritualist, edited by Mrs. 
Schlesinger. The Society of Progressive 



Spiritualists secured her as their speaker 
during her entire stay of seven months; 
and many were the grand lessons of spir- 
itual truth and wisdom given by the 
intelligences on the other side through 
the mediumship of this noble little wom- 
an. Mr. and Mrs. Longley were so 
delighted with the beautiful climate of 
California that they returned in October, 
1895, and located in Pasadena, in the 
Southern part of the Stat'^, where they 
intend to remain for some time. 



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C. P. LONG LEY 



The well known musical composer and 
song writer, Chalmers Payson Longley, 
is a native of Hawley, Mass., where 
among the beautiful hills and genial 
breezes he passed the first ten years of 
his life, breathing in the sweet inspira- 
tions and beautiful influences which free 
contact with mother nature ever gives to 
such poetic and sensitive souls as his. 
The subject ol this sketch was the 
seventh child of Col. Joshua and Eliza- 
beth Hawkes-Longley, and one of a 
family oi ten children, each of whom dis- 
played in some particular a remarkable 
and especial line of talent and ability. 

Only one of this gifted family, however, 
remains on earth besides the musician 
of whom we write — an elder brother, 
Mayor H. A Longley, who for over 
thirty years served as Sheriff of Hamp- 
shire County, Mass., with honor and dis- 
tinction, and who might be filling that 
post al the present time had he desired 
to do so. 

One of the six brothers, Roswell, who 
p ! away at the early age of thirty 

three, was a remarkably brilliant orator 
and poet, whose powers of composition 
and eloquence commanded the attention 
of cultivated minds of his day; and an- 
other, Augustus, was the author of many 
fine poems and other productions that 
live below, while he who produced them 
is journeying on toward higher attain- 
ments in the heavenly world. 

i lhalmers P. Lon born with 

the spirit of song within him. His worthy 
feither, who was known lor many miles 
is a mm oi a< tive lai in'-- 1 qualities an I 
integrity, led a c hoir ol train--- I v< >ii i 
many years, and an atmosphere ol music 
pervaded tin- entire household. There- 
fore, it was not strange that this, the 
Beventh born, should inherit the gift, al- 
though it was a subject <<\ remark and 

wonder that tin- little fellow could DOt 



only sing, but could carry his part correctly 
while still a nursing child at his mother's 
breast; and when but three and four 
years old, would stand in the open air, 
singing lor the passing neighbors, receiv- 
ing many a penny and love pat of ap- 
proval for his efforts in this direction. 

When about ten years of age. Chal- 
mers removed with his parents to Bel- 
chertown, Mass., where in the more ad- 
vanced mental atmosphere of a town 
larger than the one he had left, the train- 
ing and moral poise of a sterling charac- 
ter and liberal mind were found lor the 
growing youth. 

Let it here be noticed that Mrs. Long- 
ley, the mother, was a woman of rare 
depth of thought and breadth of judg- 
ment, and although one of a family from 
which ministers, deacons and exhortors 
of the ecclesiastical school had sprung 
the progressive tendency of her nature 
would not allow her to remain tastened 
to old creeds, and by reasoning upon 
many | of scripture, tins worthy 

lady found a spiritual meaning within 

them, with which she confounded the 

minister- and deacons who sought to 

trammel and retard the growth of her 
mind and spirit by the Utterance ol 

opinion and conservative declara- 
tions of faith. 
'At the time the R knockings 

1 and Spiritualism 

to app d I ot immortality, 

M Lo and ponden d upon 

them as announced through the- public 
prinu, and mphatically to 

family and friends, " Hit re's a truth," 
i prizing ,m " mi i M,,t mi '' •""' " habil- 
of tins great movement that h 

upon the world. 

Bi c »mii 

•'. 
ions oi the v. 

spirit, and lived tl and 



4© 



C. P. LONGLEY. 



truth within her while she remained on 
eartn. Two of her sons, Augustus and 
Chalmers, also accepted the truth and 
teachings of Spiritualism with their 
mother, the former having married a 
lady who proved to be a powerful me- 
dium for the production of physical 
phenomena, through whose agency many 
startling manifestations of spirit power 
and wonderful evidences of spirit identity 
were given to the world. 

During his residence in Belchertown, 
and while a young man, Chalmers P. 
Longley became acquainted with Dr. S. 
B. Brittan, that noble and fearless advo- 
cate of Spiritualism, than whom no more 
eloquent and thoughtful speaker ever 
graced the public rostrum— an acquaint- 
ance which soon ripened into a warm 
friendship in both hearts, that lasted not 
only while Dr. Brittan remained on 
earth, but has extended beyond fhe 
grave, and is now bearing fruit in many 
delightful tokens of love which the arisen 
one displays for and to his earthly friend. 
So ardent was his attachment for the 
spiritual cause, that although Spiritualism 
was as unpopular as it well could be in a 
conservative New England town of that 
period, and although a young man de- 
pendent upon the patronage and custom 
of his neighbors for his living, he having 
learned the tailoring trade, and set up in 
that line of business for himself, the 
subject of this narrative, when Dr. Brit- 
tan was engaged by a few earnest work- 
ers to lecture on Spiritualism in the town 
hall, took his little melodeon upon a 
wheel barrow and manfully marched to 
the meeting, where he contributed to the 
service and to the inspirations of the 
speaker by his fine singing of the choice 
compositions which already had begun 
to write and sing themselves through his 
gifted soul. And it may be added that 
on such occasions the eloquence of Dr. 
Brittan and the fervor and music of young 
Longley were sufficient to crowd the hall 
to its utmost capacity. 

About this time the young man began 
to express in outword form the music 
which had been singing in his soul during 
his whole life. That beautiful and im- 



mortal poem, "Over the River," which 
has appeared in collections of standard 
poetry, books for school lessons, works 
on elocution, magazines, newspapers and 
publications without number, and which 
was written by Nancy Priest, a young 
mill girl, upon a piece of brown paper 
one day at the noon hour, was then going 
the rounds of the press for the first time, 
and as it caught his eye, the soul of the 
young musician was filled with melody, 
and seating himself at his little instru- 
ment, he at once composed beautiful 
music to these words, and produced a 
song, the first two thousand copies of 
which were sold immediately upon their 
issue from the press, and which has had 
a phenomenal success as a standard song 
during all the succeeding years, winning 
the finest encomiums from the public 

press. This song, "Over the River," lay 
in manuscript twelve years before it was 
published, although the composer had 
secured the consent of Nancy Priest to 
set her poem to music and give it to the 
world at the time when its melody first 
inspired him. 

"We Are Coming Sister Mary," an- 
other beautiful song, was also composed 
by the young man at that time, which 
was followed by the production of a large 
Dumber of sweet melodies, any one of 
which might have won for its author fame 
and distinction, among which may be 
mentioned "Love's Golden Chain," "In 
Heaven We'll Know Our Own," "Open 
the Gates," and that never to be forgotten 
and exquisite composition, "Only a Thin 
Veil Between Us," until at the present 
time, we believe Mr. Longley stands as 
the most accomplished and prolific com- 
poser of tender and spiritual melodies 
that the world has known. 

The trade of tailoring had not been 
congenial to the inspired musician, and 
when a new opening appeared to him 
he hailed it with satisfaction. This came 
when the elder brother, Mayor II. A. 
Longley, was Sheriff of Hampshire 
County, and who had in consequence re- 
moved with his family to Northampton 
to take charge of the public jail. Being 



C. P. LONGLEY 



4i 



in want of an assistant m tiis arauous 
duties of caring for the prisoners, Mayor 
Longley secured the services of Chal- 
mers, his brother, who for sixteen years 
acted in that capacity, having charge 
over the prisoners, and coming in con- 
tact with various phases of human nature, 
some of which were extremely heart-rend- 
ing, but all of which no doubt Served to 
deepen the inspirations and still further 
develop the musical genius of the sensi* 
tive man, for some of his finest produc- 
tions were expressed while he was an 
officer and inmate of the county jail. 
During that time, the prisoners, one and 
all, manifested the sincerest regard and 
affection for their keeper, and the ut- 
most solicitude and kindly thought for 
his wife, Mrs. Harriet Maria Longley, 
who was an invalid for four years. 

Just here it will be proper to state that 
while a young man, C. P. Longley wed- 
ded an extremely beautiful and cultivated 
young lady, Miss H. M. Shaw of Belcher- 
town, who through all the years of her 
married life proved the best of counsel- 
lors and a sustaining spiritual force to 
her husband. Mrs. Longley, after an 
illness of years, passed to spirit life from 
the home of her faithful physician and 
friend, Dr. S. B. Brittan in Newark, N. 
J. Dr. Brittan admired this lady so 
much for the bright, energetic qualities 
of mind and spirit, that he paid her a 
most extended eulogy, and never failed 
to attest to her ability and worth as a 
woman and a thinker during his remain- 
ing days on earth. 

Chalmers Longley, like all minds of 
genius, seemed to possess that trusting 
nature which reposed confidence in his 
fellows, and was the Cause of losing for 

him the savings of a life time. By plac- 
ing large sums in the hands of other 
men, in some instances for personal in- 
vestment, in others to aid his friends out 
of pecuniary difficulties, he has hope- 
lessly lost a sum that is estimated light 
at forty thousand dollars; and there have 
been hours when he hardly knew where 
to procure the means for another week's 
living, while others were fattening upon 
the fruits of his toil; and yet he h is been 



heard to say that these very experiences 
have helped to draw out the richer part 
of his nature, and to unfold the melodious 
gift of song, perhaps more fully than any 
other discipline could have done. 

C. P. Longley had remained a widower 
some twelve years when he led to the 
altar the well-known Bauer of Light 
medium, Miss M. T. Shelhamer, a lady 
whose poetic compositions had often fur- 
nished themes for the musical settings of 
the composer. This marriage, which oc- 
cured November 22, 18S8, although con- 
ceded by all to be singularly appropriate 
and pleasing, was yet a matter of sur- 
prise to the host of friends of both parties / 
as it was supposed that, in their chosen 
field of work, neither had any thought of 
wedlock; but the result has produced a 
most happy and harmonious union, which 
has brought an increase of usefulness in 
the spiritual work of the happy pair. 

Shortly after his second marriage, Mr. 
Longley published a large number of his 
songs in sheet music, also a collection in 
book form entitled, "Echoes From an 
Angel's Lyre," a title given to him by 
Dr. Brittan years before. Thousands of 
copies of these songs have been sold, 
and their popularity is still unabated. 
The notices from the press and from 
gifted pens in favor of these and preced' 
Ine publications have been flattering . 

He has recently issued a new volume 
containing fifty eight of his delightful 
songs. The work is handsomely gotten 
up, the title page bearing fine portraits of 

the Composer and his medium wife. It is 
Sheet music size, printed on line white 

paper, elegantly bound in cloth. "Echoes 

from the World of Song" cannot fail to 
command an extensive sale: 

In < losing we will state that Mr. Long- 
ley has never received a musical training 

nor has he taken a lesson in playing or 
in composition in his life. All that he 
in talenl and execution is 
nature's gift, supplemented !>\ the quick- 
ening power <»i spiritual attendants; and 
yet ill-- gentleman has comforted an. I 
inspired thousands by Ins singing, and by 
the delicacy of those inspiring melodies 
that he ha • git en to humi 



GATES OF GOLD. 



GEO. W. MORSE. 



O, gates of gold! how fair, how bright, 
On heaven's great verge you stand; 

There's naught so pleasant to my sight 
In all that upper land! 

Once near the silent, azure sea, 

Entranced I stood, and gazed on thee! 

And there upon that restful shore 

Self confident I grew — 
So near the glory of the door 

I ventured to look through, 
And breathing then one word of prayer, 

"Forgive,'' I said, and entered there: 

And loving arms were round me thrown, 
And lips were pressed to mine— 

The softest I have ever known, 
And fragrant as new wine ; 

And then I knew the joy, the bliss 
Of angel's love — of spirit's kiss. 

And when I waked my little room 

Was full of living beams, 
And all my garments were in bloom, 

As though they, too, had dreams ; 
And soul and sense within mestiired 

At what I saw, and what I heard. 




MRS. P. W. STEPHENS. 



MRS. P. W. STEPHENS 



The subject of this sketch was born 
in the city of Schenectady, State of 
New York, in October, 1822. When 
she was two years of age her parents, 
Samuel and Charlotte Wilson, remov- 
ed to Oneida County, near the lake, 
where she was raised. 

Her father, though having a good 
education, was tinctured with ideas 
common to those early days regarding 
the education of women, considering 
the only desirable accomplishments 
being a knowledge of housework and 
the care of children. Consequently his 
daughter was never sent to school. 
Although possessed of a strong desire 
to study, hooks were scarce and work 
plenty, therefore little opportunity was 
offered for mental development, and 
Sbe grew to womanhood a machine for 
labor and a child of Nature. 

Prom early childhood she was clair- 
voyant and clalraudient, hut supposed 
the voices sbe heard was God speaking 
to her, and thought everybody beard 
them. Her mother was also clairvoy- 
ant, often seeing her "dead people" as 
she termed them. When a child, she 
was frequently visited by a spirit who 
would say: "/ am Granny Hadlock f 
don't bi afeard, I liki littk //"/■-." 
.Mrs. B. said in after years she asked 
her mother if she ever knew any one 

by that nunc , and her mother SI 

ed, " Yes, Granny Had lock was my 
great grandmother, and raised my 

mother, who w;i- lefl an orphan, but I 

never saw ber myself." 
One day her twin brother was ml -- 

in^r, and as I here was a stream of water 
near the house, it was feared be had 

fallen in and was drowiud. Diligent 



search was being made when suddenly 
Mrs. S heard a voice say: "He is in the 
huckleberry lot, " which was half a 
mile distant. She ran to her mother, 
saying, "Jacob is picking huckle- 
berries." "How do you know?" said 
her mother. In a whisper she answer- 
ed: "Because God says so." Her 
brother was found at the place designa- 
ted. 

In the year 1844 her father passed to 
spirit life. The following year the 
family removed to Illinois. In 1846, 
she was married to William Kinsey, a 
Quaker, (or Friend). While con- 
versing with Mrs.S. not long since, 
when speaking of this portion of her 
life, with much emotion she said: "All 
the years of my neglected childhood, 
all the toil, trials, and disappointments 
of maidenhood, stand out to-day in 
shiniug radiance, beside those >i\ 
weary years of wifehood. Perhaps 
they were needed to teach me the les- 
son of humility, and cause the Maine <>!' 
sympathy to ever quickly kindle in be- 
half of the suffering and down-trodden 

of earth, especially of my «>wn H \. 

During these six years of marriage 
Mrs. Stephens became the mother of 
six children, three of whom passed to 
spirit life. At the age of thirty she 
was lefl a willow, six weeks after the 
death of her h us band her motbei 

ed away. They both - i 

markable evidences of their ability to 
communicate with ber. [n I860, b< r 
brother E. V. Wilson, w hose name Is 
a house-hold w ord w b< I Itual 

Ism Is knovi n. \ (sited i" r, ai d I 
hi- mediumship Bhe i eceiv< d hei 
know ledge of tie' truth- of Spiritual 



44 



MRS. P. VV. STEPHENS 



ism. She was soon controlled to speak 
in a remarkable* manner,, and would 
write essays upon subjects of which She 
was entirely ignorant. Spiritual litera- 
ture was not abundant in those days, 
but she read the The Spiritual Tele- 
graph, as long as it was published; 
then followed The Banner of Light, 
which she called her loving friend. 

In 1857 she married Philander Steph- 
ens, who proved a kind loving husband, 
and father to her children. In 1862 they 
joined a train composedof one hundred 
and fifty persons and came over- 
land to California. During this peril- 
ous journey they met with many ex- 
citing adventures, being several times 
attacked by Indians. On one of the-e 
occasions Mrs. S. and another lady 
volunteered to mould bullets while the 
men were fighting the Indians. They 
also stood guard the whole night, ex- 
posed to the enemy's bullets. During 
these trying hours she was constantly 
encouraged ;by the "voices" which 
were always more clear and distinct 
in times of greatest distress. After 
many tribulations they arrived in Cal- 
ifornia and settled in Calaveras County. 

In the summer of '65, Mrs. S. was 
prostrated with a severe illness. Her 
attending physician thought her recov- 
ery doubtful. She was visited by her 
spirit daughter who gave her a pre- 
scription that restored her in one hour. 
Upon his next visit the physician ex- 
pressed much surprise at the change. 
When informed of what had occurred 
he pronounced the prescription an ex- 
cellent one, but said he had not 
thought of it, and laughing, said it was 
a lucky dream for Mrs. S. The next 
day her babe, which was then two 
weeks old, was placed in her arms for 
the first time. She immediately heard 
Mr. Stephens' spirit wife say: "The 
baby will die." Mrs. S. said. "No; 
this strong healthy baby will not die." 
The voice again said: "The babe will 
die." "When ?" exclaimed Mrs. S. 
"To-morrow," was the reply. Her 



husband, who was absent had been 
telegraphed for, as it had not been 
thought she would live, and the family 
were expesting his return. She then 
asked the spirit if Mr. S. would get 
home before it died, and the reply was: 
"No; but I will take your darling and 
care for him." The child was taken 
suddenly ill that night and expired at 
four o'clock the afternoon of the next 
day. Mr. S. arrived at six. 

In January, 1867, the family moved 
to Sacramento City, after having resid- 
ed for a short time in El DoradoCounty. 
Up to this date Mrs. S. had never heard 
a spiritual lecture, or witnessed any of 
the phenomena of Spiritualism, except 
what had occurred through her own 
mediumship, or that of some member 
of her family. Mrs. Laura Cuppy was 
lecturing in Sacramento at that time- 

Mrs. S's mediumship developed so 
rapidly under these new and favorable 
conditions that in six weeks after set- 
tling in Sacramento her house was daily 
crowded with people seeking evidence 
that their loved ones were not lost to 
them. She soon became a trance speak- 
er, giving in glowing language the 
philosophical evidence of a continued 
life. Her first public lectures were de- 
livered in Sacramento in the autumn 
of '69. She also visited adjacent towns 
and cities, spreading the truth by lec- 
turing and giving tests. In the spring 
of '72, she visited Utah, attracting 
much attention during the few months 
of her sojourn in that section. After 
her return she visited many places in 
California and Nevada, doing much 
pioneer work for the cause. In April, 
1874, obeying the instructions of her 
guides, she started for the East, stop- 
ping in Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Col- 
orado, Nebraska, and Iowa, visiting 
all the principal cities on the way, lec- 
turing and exercising her mediumistic 
gifts. In September, while attending 
the Spiritualists' Convention in Chi- 
cago, Mrs. S. was informed by her 
guides that her son in Sacramento 



MRS. P. W. STEPHENS 



45 



would pass into spirit-life inXovember. 
She hastened home and the statement 
was verified by the death of her son by 
accident on the 19th of November. 

In the Spring of '76, she again visited 
the East. Stopping at the home of her 
brother, E. V. Wilson, in Illinois, she 
attended the meeting held in Rockford 
in June, where her usefulness was fully 
appreciated by her brother and the 
vast numbers who attended, as the re- 
cords of the convention and favorable 
comments of the press demonstrate. 
In October, at the request of her broth- 
er, she accompanied him eastward, 
assisting him at the meeting in Bing- 
bampton. At its close she visited 
many places in the East, spending the 
winter in Northern New York. Her 
ministrations attracted much attention 
and gave great satisfaction, receiving 
very favorable notices from the local 
papers in every city she visited. 

The following spring she returned to 
her Held of labor in the West. During 
the next few year- she resided a portion 
of the time in Reno, Nevada; also in 
Oregon, which State she canvassed quite 
extensively, carrying ''glad tidings" of 
immortality to many doubting ones by 
her superior ability t<> demonstrate its 
truth. 

In 1883, Mrs. 8. waa directed to go 
lvi-t as far a- Cheyenne, \\y. visit- 
ing Colorado and Arizona during her 
absence. The Denver Times, Bpeaking 
of her presence in thai city, Bays: "Mrs 
P. \Y. Stephens, of Sacramento, ( 'all 
fornia, again interested the people of 
t' la city with a lecture in W'ai ren's 
Hall. She i- an elderly woman, a 
graceful speaker, and impresses her 
bearers with t he j . rul h of her convio- 
tlonsalmosl irresiMtably. She spoke last 
nighl upon subjects chosen by bheaud- 
lence, of which was "The Higher Life," 
which was well bandied. Then 

( Ihinese I mmigral lon n \\ a- i n a ted, 
and if t he ideas <>r t be spirit are correct 
there are dark days before the people of 
th • Weal from tbia • .■'.'. a- they are 



termed. Altogether her work here is 
of a fine order; but then we had rather 
think Mrs. S. is a smart, educated wo- 
mau than to attribute it all to spirits." 

While in Arizona the Prescott Miner, 
speaking of her, says: "Mrs. Stephens 
gave her second lecture last evening to 
a large audience. The subject, which 
was chosen by a committee from the 
audience, was "The Aztec." To say it 
was marvelous and instructive would 
fall short of the letter. We heard learn- 
ed men say they would give the ablest 
man in the territory one month in 
which to prepare a lecture on this BUb 
ject and defy them to outdo this. It 
was highly reasonable and in accord- 
ance with the views of the most learned 
of the day. We care not how the lady 
received her knowledge it was a grand 
effort, and every man and woman in 
this land so full of the relics of an un- 
known and extinct race, ought to have 
heard it." 

After her return home from this trip 
she lectured in Sacramento until Au- 

gust, 1884, when she was attacked with 
a severe illness whi.-h disabli d her 
from public work for some time, hut 
she finally recovered and resumed her 
public work. Mrs. Stephens waa a 

prominent speaker and medium at tin- 

Campmeetiuga held in < Oakland during 
the years of 1887 and i sx ^. .Many who 
were present will remember the inspire 
ed addresses of I hi- v< teran medium 
and her beautiful inspirational poems. 
Mi- Stephens passed to spiril life on 
t he 18 th of January 1889 from her home 
in s icramento, < lalifornia. She \\ as ill 
hut a Bhorl 1 1 me, having con I racted a 
Bevere cold which r suited in pneu- 
monia. I >r. < took conduct* d t he fu- 
neral services and many frlenda follow- 
ed the mortal form to ii- last n 
place. 

She died beloved by all; and her mem- 
ory rental ua a frajrranl blossom In the 
d< -< ii of many lives, made bi 
ami happier by her tender mil 
t i ■ » 1 1 - . 



E. D. LUNT. 



Editor. ' 4 The Medium," Los Angeles. 



The subjeot of this sketch was boru 
in Jamestown, New York, July 11, 1844. 
His parents were members of the M. E. 
Church, but soon after the advent of 
Modern Spiritualism became firm be- 
lievers in, and consistent advocates of 
that philosophy. In 1859 Mr. Lunt 
entered the office of the "Hancock Jef- 
fersonian," at Findlay, Ohio, as an 
apprentice to the printer's trade, and 
in 1861 removed to Des Moines, Iowa, 
where at the age of seventeen he en- 
listed as a private in the Fifteenth 
Iowa infantry regiment, and served 
with honor until the close of the war. 
He took part in several of the great 
battles, and was finally captured by 
the Confederates and confined several 
months in Andersonville and Florence 
prison pens. During his term of ser- 
vice he had many narrow escapes from 
death and capture, several of which he 
has since been able to trace to the direct 
intervention of spirit power. During 
the years since the close of the war he 
has been, most of the time, engaged in 
the newspaper business iu Iowa and 
Nebraska, with varying success. 

Mr. Lunt came to California in Feb- 
ruary, 1893, and located in Los Angel- 
es. In January, 1895, seeing the need 
of a Spiritualist paper on this Coast, 



he established The Medium, which, 
although but a small paper, has had a 
wonderful growth, and has extended 
its circulation into every State in the 
Union. The tone of this paper has a 
genuine ring and is clear and outspoken 
in the cause v. f right and justice. While 
it aims to present a fair and impartial 
record of the work of all mediums, it 
draws the line at notorious frauds and 
fakirs, and gives them the benefit of 
being ignored. The Medium has been 
self-sustainiug from the start, as the 
proprietors steadily refuse any and all 
assistance except as it comes through 
advertisements and subscriptions. 
They hope to enlarge it very soon and 
add several new and attractive depart- 
ments. 

Mr. Lunt has strong mediumistic 
powers, and one peculiarity of his news- 
paper work is that he seldom writes 
out any of his editorial articles. He 
sets the type himself without notes, 
and often in a semi-trance condition, 
frequently producing in this way a 
long article without having the least 
idea what it is about until he sees the 
proofs of it. He is ably assisted in his 
work by his wife and helpmeet, who la 
a fine clairvoyant and musical medium. 










I-!. I) I.! NT 




HON. JOHN A. COLIvINS. 



HON. JOHN A. COLLINS. 



The following sketch, with closing editorial notice of the death of Mr. Collins is reproduced from 
The Carrier Dove of April, 1890. 



Hon. John A. Collins, of this city, is 
well known as one of the earliest and old- 
est believers in the science of Spiritual- 
ism now living. He was born in October, 
1810, in the State of Vermont, and being 
left in infancy an orphan, without resour- 
ces, grew up to manhood with very 
limited assistance from relatives, acquir- 
ing a liberal education and support by 
his own exertions. An injury received 
when a babe having permanently affected 
his constitution, his health has never been 
good, but his indomitable will power has 
carried his infirm body through a longer 
life than most men are privileged to en- 
joy. 

At the age of twelve he began his 
apprenticeship as a printer, and was, for 
more than two years, associated with 
Horace Greeley, who was learning the 
same trade. They became very warm 
and intimate friends, a relation which 
existed until the death of Greeley. 
Young Greeley's character and views, 
quaintly and logically fortified and en- 
foiced in his peculiar manner, had a good 
influence upon his youthful companion, 
lasting through his whole life. 

Having prepared himself by patient 
and persevering study and energetic 
exertions, he entered Andover Theo- 
logical Seminary to prepare himself lor 
the ministry as his future profession. 
While pursuing his studies here his 
attention was first called to the philosophy 
of Spiritualism as exemplified by clair- 
voyant, magnetic, and other spiritual 
phenomena, which were then attracting 
some attention a dozen years prior to 
the advent of the Fox girls. He investi- 



gated the subjected, and receiving some 
remarkable private tests, became a be- 
liever in and advocate of the doctrine 
of Modern (so called) Spiritualism, 
though it was then, as now, forbidden 
subject for investigation among Collegiate 
authorities. With his usual persistence 
in the pursuit of truth and knowledge, 
he has continued his investigation of the 
phenomena and philosophy of Spirit- 
ualism, for more than fifty years, and is 
as well prepared as any man living, to 
give his reasons for the faith within him, 
and has done much to teach its truths 
and principles to others. Knowing the 
firmness of its foundation, in reason as 
well as in facts, he has the will and 
courage to proclaim his faith to all the 
world and defend its principles against 
every assault. "With malice toward 
none, but with charity or all," who 
differ from him, he dares in the language 
of the immortal Lincoln "maintain the 
right, as God gives him to see the 
right," 

Before finishing his course at Andover 
he was called away to engage in the 
anti-slavery movement which was then 
well under way. Though licensed to 

preach, and sometimes occupying the 
pulpit temporarily he was never ordained 
or settled in the ministry, preferring the 
more active field of the Abolition 

agitation. 

Mr. Collins was a born reformer, no 

doubt, for dining his whole life nil name 

has been prominent as an earnest and 

active worker in the TemperaO '. Anti_ 

Slavery, Woman Sufirage, Spiritualistic 

and Industrial Co-operation Ifc f< THIS. 



4 8 



HON. JOHN A. COLLINS 



Prior to and during the Washington 
Temperance agitation, he was an earnest 
and effective advocate of temperance and 
did much to reform the custom, then 
prevalent among all classes of the con- 
stant and daily use of distilled liquors 
as a beverage.* " 

HIS CAREER AS AN ABOLITIONIST. 

Long prior thereto he appeared before 
the public as one of the most energetic 
and effective workers, both as a speaker 
and an organizer in the great anti-slavery 
movement, in connection with Wm. 
Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, Authur 
Tappan, Isaac T. Hooper, C. C. Bur- 
leigh, Gerrit Smith, and others. In this 
field Mr. Collin's superior executive 
ability, and his earnest and convincing 
arguments and cogent reasoning upon 
the rostrum gave him great prominence 
as one of the most efficient leaders in the 
great anti-slavery agitation oi fifty years 
ago. 

Oliver Johnson, the Secretary of the 
old anti-slavery society, in his sketch of 
"William Lloyd Garrison and His 
Times," thus refers to his work in be- 
half of the cause. " Mr. John A.Collins 
came to us from Andover Theological 
Seminary at the time of the division in 
Massachusetts, taking the place of 
general agent, left vacant by the resigna- 
tion of Rev. Amos A. Phelps. His 
executive power was remarkable. He 
did much to infuse courage into our 
broken ranks, to overcome opposition, 
to collect funds, and devise and execute 
large plans of anti-slavery labor. He 
traveled much at home, and once went 
to England on a mission in behalf of the 
cause. A man of tremendous energy, 
nothing could stagnate in his presence. 
He could set a score of agents at work 
jn the field, and plan an executive cam- 
paign on the largest scale. At one time a 
series of one hundred Conventions, ex- 
tending over several States, East and 
West, was held by an organized corps 
of lecturers under his super intendence. 
He came to us in a critical hour and his 
services were .exceedingly valuable." 



His experience in addressing excited and 
turbulent audiences at a period when 
abolitionists were so very unpopular, 
even in the Northern States, was, on some 
occasions, of a very unpleasant character, 
and would have proven dangerous, but 
for his wonderful personal magnetism, 
presence of mind and unruffled temper. 
While patiently and good-naturedly en- 
during their derisive epithets, rotten eggs 
and stale vegetables, he would often in 
the end, secure their respectful attention, 
and frequently at the close of his address, 
rousing cheers would be giving for the 
speaker. 

A Quaker poet in Philadelphia, who 
had attended a number of Mr. Collins' 
meetings, selected a dozen prominent 
abolitionists and wrote a verse concerning 
each. Among the number was Mr. 
Collins, whom he served up as follows : 

John Collins, I wonder 

If thou woulds't krock under, 

If Satan himself should appear; 

I question his bluster 

Thy temper could fluster, 

Or cause thee to feel any f ear, 

John Collins; 

Or cause thee to feel any fear. 

GOES TO ENGLAND. 

His mission to England was very 
successful, in correcting public opinion 
there, in regard to the real object and 
scope of the anti-slavery movement in 
America, and the course of its leader, 
Mr. Garrison, towards the Colonization 
Society, which was fostered by the 
churches and had raised a strong op- 
position to his agitation in favor of the 
abolition of slavery. He was also suc- 
cessful in raising funds in aid of the 
cause. During his visit he took an active 
part upon the rostrum, in the famous 
Ami- Corn- Law agitation of that period, 
;is a repealer. Upon his return to 
America after an absence of nearly a 
year, he brought back an address with 
over ten thousand names attached, all 
Irish, headed by Daniel O'Connel, urging 
their countrymen here to vindicate the 



HON. JOHN. A. COLLINS: 



49 



Irish love of liberty by supporting Mr. 
Garrison and his party in his efforts to 
destroy slavery, which had good effect in 
favor of the cause. 

HE BRINGS OUT FRED DOUGLASS. 

While engaged in his duties as general 
agent, at a meeting of colored people in 
New Bedford, Mass., he listened for the 
first time, 'to an eloquent five-minute 
speech by the now famous Fred Douglass, 
who had recently escaped from slavery, 
and of couise possessed very little edu- 
cation. Mr. Collins was so favorably 
impressed with the native ability mani- 
fested by the young colored orator, that 
he took him into service to travel with 
him and assist at public meetings as one 
of the attractions. Possessing a good 
memory, Douglass soon gained a know- 
lege of the subject by listening to Mr. 
Collins' speeches, and was soon, under 
the latter's tuition, able to deliver an 
interesting and eloquent speech of an 
hour, and thereafter became popular as 
an anti slavery orator and -acquired a 
world-wide reputation for his eloquence 
and ability. • Recognizing the black ora- 
tor as entitled to equal rights with him- 
self, insults and indignities were often 
At-d upon both, while traveling to 
lecture in all parts of the country, on 
account of the popular prejudice against 
the negro. It did much, however, to 
educate people upon the equal natural 
rights of all men, without regard to color 
<.r previous < ondition of servitude. 

WOMAN SUP! RAGE. 

In the Women's Right's movement, he- 
took an active part, both as a speaker 
and a writer in the public journals, in its 

early history at the East, and later On 
this Coast, doing good sen i< •• with his 
eloquent pen. Though to act as a tea< her 
and leader ol men in effecting 

social o I irm • lily a thankless 

task, involving great labor, much self- 
denial, grievous disappointments, and 
weary waiting for fruition, yet Mi 
lin's sympathy i<>r his f< How men, suffer- 
ing from the wrongs and evjJs ol the pre- 
sent state of >"< iety ■••« ially 



when he sees the weaker portion op- 
pressed or overcome by the strong, that 
his philanthropic soul is at once enlisted 
in their defense, and his whole energy 
both mental and physical, exerted in their 
behalf. And, i( he may not live to see 
women enfranchised, he knows that the 
cause he has so long advocated has been 
greatly advanced by his efforts, and firmly 
belives that it will surely triumph in the 
near future. 

EMIGRATES TO CALIFORNIA. 

Arriving in California early in June, 
1849, M r - Collin's became one of the 
poineer merchants of San Francisco. 

After about two years' experience, 
during which time he was burned out 
five times, losing a large amount of 
valuable property thereby, including a 
monthly income from rents of seven or 
eight thousand dollars, he turned his 
attention to mining as a speedier and 
surer way to make a fortune, with which 
to return East and carry out his plans 
to inaugurate a system of co-operative 
industry similar, though less compre- 
hensive, to thai described later in tins 
article. His attention was attracted to 
the rich quartz veins of Crass Yallev, in 
Nevada County, where he built and 
successfully operated the second quartz 
mill erected in California. He foresaw 
wealth hidden in the quartz 
> of ( California, and was < ne of the 
first to practically demonstrate their value, 
as the original s6urce hom whence the 
Placer gold was derived; and which, by 
n ol their number and richness, in 
sured the permanence and prosp< 1 it) 1 •• 
the mining industi y of th ■ Pa 

A N.vi [( >NAL CO-( IPB RATIV1 SOCIETY. 

It was fudge Collins' pu gitate 

for the abolition ol modern slavery, until 
public opinii >n is aroused to c 
oi the reform in our industrial 
whi< h he pr< >i the true snd 

only peaceful and pra< ti< rI sqluUon 
of the problem, c I 

Lain and 
Moody « nulla i 

this purpo e •> National 



5° 



HON. JOHN A. COLLINS 



tive Homestead Society has been formed 
in this city, by himself and a number of 
others entertaining similar views, and 
issued numerous pamphlets and circulars 
to popularize the same by means of the 
press and platform, and prepare the way 
for the necessary legislation by Congress 

This Society sent a petition to Senator 
Stanford, asking the passage of a law 
establishing the new system of National 
Co-operation. This petition including 
the form of the proposed law was pre- 
sented in the Senate by him in February 
last. Senators Stanford and Stewart 
have each introduced bills embodying 
their own views, for goverment en- 
couragement to Co-operative, enterprises 
on a limited scale, but not embracing a 
complete National system of Co-opera- 
tion, providing means, and directing the 
formation and magement of Corporate 
Associations, under uniform laws, com- 
prising all branches of industry, both 
productive and distributive. These 
several bills were referred to a committee 
and will naturally be considered together 
at some future time. 

This reform Mr. Collin's regarded as 
the most important of all that he has 
engaged in, and hoped to live to see it 
inaugurated by appropriate Congressional 
legislation. 

DEATH OF MR. COLLINS. 

Hon. John A. Collins of this city passed 
to spirit life on the morning of April 3d. 
He had been ill for a long time and only 
his superior will power kept him at his 
post of duty when laboring under phy- 
sical disabilities that would have pro- 
strated many a less determined man. In 
the latter part of February he had 
recovered his strength somewhat and 
took a trip to Los Angeles to attend to 
some business. He returned from there 
on the 15th of March very ill with 
pneumonia, since which time he has not 
left his bed until the spirit, weary of its 
struggle to overcome the infirmities of 
the worn out body took its flight to 
broader fields of usefulness, and larger 
opportunity. Mr. Collins was the be- 
loved president of the Society of Pro. 



gressive Spiritualism of this city, and a 
most earnest worker in the cause. His 
great love of justice, his deep sympathy 
for the weak and helpless, his contempt 
for the shams and wickedness of those in 
high places, made him the firm friend 
and able advocate of the poor and op- 
pressed everywhere. In him the 
mediums found a noble champion and 
defender; and if he erred it was through 
his great goodness of heart, his deep, 
earnest devotion to truth, his fine sense 
of honor and integrity; his great charity 
for the weaknesses and tailings of 
humanity. Judging others by his own 
high standard of excellence he always 
found more good than evil, more truth 
than falsehood, more love than hate, 
more honor than dishonor; and therefore 
he had more pity than condemnation 
for those who were unfortunate victims 
of circumstances and conditions over 
which they had no control. It is useless 
at this moment to endeavor to pay a fitting 
tribute to the memory of this great, good 
man. Words are inadequate to express 
all that could or should be said of him. 
His life was one continual labor of love, 
and unselfish devotion to humanity. 
Volumes could be written of what he 
has accomplished in his almost four 
score years. No one day was lost; every 
hour bore the fruit of noble deeds, 
generous sympathy and helpfulness. 
Standing by his bedside as the life forces 
were slowly ebbing away we could still 
discern the great, grand soul of the man, 
the lion-hearted hero, as in moments of 
consciousness it would flash forth from 
the eyes, and in clear tones voice the 
deep interest it still retained in human- 
itarian work. 

As president of the Society of Pro- 
gressive Spiritualists his interest in all 
that pertained to its welfare was unabated 
to the last; and his solicitude for its 
future prosperity was the one theme he 
dwelt most upon in those last hours. 
May his mantle fall upon his successor 
and the place be filled by one as deeply 
earnest and conscientious as himself. 






^'\-\ : ;. 








EDWARD FAIR. 



EDWARD FAIR. 



The subject of this brief sketch was 
born in Baltimore, Md., in the year 1826. 
When quite a youth he became a mem- 
ber of the Methodist church, and served 
as chorister for the famous revivalist — 
Inskipt — at Dayton, Ohio, for many years. 
As but little data is available at this time 
concerning the earlier life experiences 
of this brave exponent of Spiritualism 
we will make a few extracts from a vale- 
dictory address delivered by Mr. Fair in 
Kansas City, Mo., in the year 1874, and 
published in the Religio- Philosophical 
Journal. In this address, which was 
delivered on the occasion of his retire- 
ment from the position of President of 
the Spiritual Society of that city, he 
gives an account of his experience in the 
investigation of Spiritualism and also 
Home of his early impressions concerning 
a future life. We will quote his own 
words which were as follows: " From 
the time of my sixth year until four years 
ago the eight day of last March, I had 
not a tangible proof, nor one faint 
glimmer of immortality, although for 
years I had sought such evidence in tears. 
The first circle which I had the privilege 
of attending met in Mr. Pond's house in 
this city. While attending that circle I 
first entered the great soul temple 
through the pearly portal of trance; and 
that which I then saw and heard, lan- 
guage fails me in describing. From that 

time until now, 1 can positively Bay to 

you that not a shadow of doubt has ever 

crossed my mind as to the realities of our 
eternal state: nor has there a month 



passed during thoseTour years that I have 
not had additional evidence from the 
other side of life's bright abode. Such 
evidence often comes to me in the holy 
hush of night, or during my business 
hours, or when I am in church or when 
listening to lectures. The witnesses I 
present you are three of my senses; see- 
ing, hearing and feeling; and therefore I 
know that the dark night of death has 
never penetrated a grave so deep, but 
instantaneously the sleeper's brow is 
bathed in the roseate sunlight of a 
resurrection morning. 

My first impression of death, although 
a preverted one, I shall never forget- 
Grasping the hand of a sister with whom 
I then stood in front of our old country 
home, I witnessed emerging therefrom .1 
funeral procession following the form of 
an elder sister, as I then supposed, to 
"that bourne whence no traveller ic- 
turns." Although a mere child this ua^> 
my first impression of death, an oh, what 

a terrible one it was! There I stood, 
feeling with my right hand for evidence 

of my heart throbs, my left grasping 

more firmly that oi my sister, nrj 
turned in the direction of the mourners 
as they moved slowly away from our 
dear «»i«i home, made desolate and drear) 
by this mysterious and relentlei visitor, 
death\ and from that day and through 
many changing yean death h.^ I 
m<- a singular paradox to all the prin- 
< [pies iu nature, a principle whfc h 
from us, giving nothing in return, leaving 
the head I 



52 



EDWARD FAIR 



If such thoughts were not formerly 
mine, I can now associate them with my 
first impression of death; but an evidence 
of immortality was the great boon for 
which I continually aspired; and all 
through my after life, having early 
associated with the church, I have heard 
again and again from the pulpit, of a 
speculative heaven and a prospective 
immortality. Singular as it may appear, 
in my gleanings from all the pulpit 
oratory to which I have listened, I have 
yet to hear the first intelligent idea of 
heaven or of hell. 

In my earlier years I was a devoted 
church member. Having had charge of 
a choir for fifteen years, and being fre- 
quently called upon to sing at funerals 
during such solemn ceremonies I often 
ventured beyond the beaten boundaries 
of thought and wondered why heaven 
was so indifferently described and 
immortality so incomplete. No perfect 
heaven no perfect immortality, until after 
the resurrection of an old, worn out body, 
and the resurrection is to occur— God only 
knows when or where, and then not 
until Gabriel has blown a great blast 
upon his wonderful trumpet; and such 
blast is to be heard— not by the spirit, for 
that has long since been confined to 
heaven or hell; but it is an old defunt 
body which is to hear. 

I have stood by many graves and at 
such times when the stricken hearts of 
bereaved friends were' lacerated with 
inconsolable grief my prayers have gone 
out to God for a tangible evidence of im- 
mortality; and believing that Deity was 
his own interpreter through his written 
or revealed word, my chief desire was 
to eliminate therefrom that evidence for 
which my soul had hungered and thirsted 
frcm early boyhood. Language fails me 
in describing my utter helplessness. 
After dilligently searching the scriptures 
from Genesis to Revelations I could not 
find a simple promise given by God to 
man of immortality. The word is men- 
tidied but twice within the lids of the 
entire book. Paul says, "God only hath 
immortality." Adam was driven from 



the garden to prevent his acquiring a 
knowledge of immortality as it reads: 
"And now, lest he put forth his hand and 
take also of the tree of life and eat and 
live forever, therefore, the Lord God 
drove him from the garden."-Gen iii, 22. 

"Man lieth down and riseth not till the 
heavens be no more. They shall not 
wake nor be raised out of their sleep." 
'For that which befalleth the sons of men 
befalleth the beasts; as the one dieth, so 
dieth the other; yea they have all one 
breath; so that man hath no pre-emi- 
eminence over a beast. "Eccl. iii, 18-22. 
After having carefully perused the 
book, I forever closed it, knowing, that 
therein cannot be found a single promise 
given by God to man of immortality. 
I can never forget the terrible travail of 
soul through which I then passed. In 
trying to free myself from the thraldom 
of such miserable vagaries as are taught 
the world over, I found myself in dark- 
ness impenetrable and bleak as death. 
What could I do? Go to my spiritual 
adviser? No ! Should I thus try to roll 
the stone from my orthodox sepulchre, 
and lrankly tell him of my failure to find 
in the Bible a tangible way to the other 
side of Jordan, my name would have 
been marked upon the orthodox slate as 
heterodox; hence my lips were sealed, 
and the church to me a forlorn hope. 

My earnest desire is to grow beyond 
those ideas my earlier years venerated. 
My purpose shall be to deal justly with 
all ideas, all isms. If through the stormy 
past I only gathered from the church the 
thought of an ideal heaven and pro- 
spective immortality, for such hope I am 
thankful." 

From the above it will be seen that 
the path of our arisen brother from the 
orthodox track to that of Spiritualism 
was not strewn with flowers. It required 
courage and manhood to throw oft the 
bondage ot creeds and come out among 
the world's workers for truth and right. 
During the many years of his ministra- 
tions upon the spiritual rostrum his trust 
in the ultimate triumph of truth never 
wavered, and his denunciation of wrong 



EDWARD FAIR 



53 



and injustice was ever clear, ringing, and 
certain. The last four years of his life 
was a season of continual pain. Through- 
out all he was brave, courageous, hope- 
ful and unflinching, looking calmly and 
trustingly to the end when the release 
should come. Through the long, try- 
ing ordeal of sickness and pain his 
devoted wile was his constant attendant, 
nurse, and patient watcher*. 

She was his best friend, adviser and 
trusted helpmate, his loving companion, 
comforter and staff; the one who, alone 
shared his weary days and nights of 
pain and followed his footsteps down 
to the brink of the river of death; and 
her love, deathless as the stars, shown 
like a beacon light across the dark 
waters until his feet had pressed the 



other shore. In her loneliness and 
grief he now ministers unto her, even as 
she so tenderly, lovingly ministered 
unto him. In his love she will find 
her tower of strength and be enabled 
to meet life's battles as calmly and 
bravely as before this shadow came be- 
tween them. She will hear his voice 
above the din of life's conflict, in un-f 
utterable tenderness speaking words o 
comfort, hope and cheer. Human sym- 
pathy and love is hers Irom the hearts 
of many true friends. 

Mr. Fair passed to spirit life on the 
30th of April, 1890. The funeral ser- 
vices were conducted by Moses Hull 
and Mr. Battersby, on May 4th, at Metro- 
politan Temple, San Francisco. 



LIDA B. BROWNE. 



Editor "Progress." 



Among the younger " workers in the 
vineyard" is Lida B. Browne, editor of 
Progress, a weekly magazine devoted to 
Spiritualism and general progressive 
topics, published in San Francisco. She 
is a native of Herkimer Co., N. Y. and 
appeared upon the mundane sphere in 
February 1862. Her parents were both 
spiritualists, being among the first to 
realize the truth of this divine philosophy, 
her mother Mrs. Scott Briggs, being well 
known both on the Pacific Coast and in 
the East as an ardent worker in the 
cause. In 1881 Mrs. Browne graduated 
with honors from the Normal College of 
New York City and immediately there- 
aiter was married to Frank L. Browne, 
at that time employed upon the New 
York "Truth Seeker" and since con- 
nected with various reform journals in 
different parts of the country. In 1885 
Mrs. Browne held the position of teacher 
in the Freethought Univeisity of Liberal, 
Mo., her husband being at that time in 
charge of the "The Liberal," a local 



progressive weekly, well know among 
Spiritualists. Afterwards returning to 
the Eastern states, they were not con- 
tent with the more conservative elements 
of the older section, and in 1888 started 
for San Francisco, which they have made 
their home since. Although a firm 
believer in Spiritualism, it is only within 
a few years that Mrs. Browne has had 
evidence, through her own organism, of 
the positive truth of the philosophy. 

In February 1895, being continually at 
the public meetings as musician, she saw 
the need of a spiritual paper in San 
Francisco, there being none published in 
the city at that time, and Progress was 
the result. The venture met with 
approval and success from the start, and 
its editor feels that her life's work has 
really commenced, and hopes to be the 
means of bringing many into the light ; 
eliminating the fear of death, and herald- 
ing far and near the truth that our loved 
ones who have passed onward can and 
do return and communicate with us. 




I.IDA B. BROWNE 




MOSES HULL. 



MOSES HULL. 



Like old Mother Partington, Moses 
Hull was born at a very early period 
of his career. In fact he came within 
one of not being born at all, and he has 
been heard to say, it would have been 
money in his pocket if he had not been. 
There were two of them, and he was 
born as No. 2, of a pair of twins that 
came to the residence of Dr. James and 
Mary Hull, near the village of Waldo, 
in Marion Co., Ohio, on Jan. 16, 1835. 
He is now, therefore well started in 
the sixties. 

As children both of the twins were 
weakly; and Aaron the eldest of the 
two only lived a little over two years; 
Moses halted between life and death 
during the whole period of his child- 
hood. With manhood came vigor; and 
now, be is stouter, heartier and able to 

do more work Mian at any period of his 
younger days. 

Mr. Hull is everywhere recognized as 
a natural born preacher. He Bays, 
people should not blame him for it. 
Hi- can no! help it; it is a birth mark, 
and he has tried earnestly and faith- 
fully to overcome it, but cannot. He 
is doomed to preach. 1 [e si\> with 

Paul, "Woe abides me If I preacb not 

the gospel." It is as natural for bini 

to preacb as it is for a bird to sing. 

He commenced exhorting and preach- 
ing before he was sixteen years old . 
and at the age of seventeen wasao or- 
dained minister. As a "boy preacher" 

be bad a wondei I'n I reputation. \-a 

revivalist he had few equals. Between 
the time be was seven te< □ and twenty- 
nine be immersed over 8,000 people. 



He now recognizes that during the 
whole of that period he was a medium 
workingunder an irresistable psychic 
force. A peculiar trembling came on 
him always before the delivery of his 
more powerful sermons. On one occas- 
ion particularly, when he arose to 
preach, he thought before reading his 
text he would comment for a moment 
on averse which oceured to his mind. 
He quoted: " And they all with one 
consent began to make excuse." The 
next he knew he found himself down 
by the "anxious seat" praying for and 
talking to twenty or more persons who 
were on their knees begging for salva- 
tion. He could hardly be made to be 
lieve that behad preached over an hour 

and a half, and bad a lialt'-do/.eii times 
bad nearly the whole audience in tears. 

As a healer even while in church, bis 

work was regarded by many as miraC- 

ulous. 

a Btrange train of circumstances l< d 
Mr, I lull out of the church, IntoSpii It - 
aalism. He now fully believes that it 
was bis own mediumship and nothing 
else, t bat made a spiritualist of bfm. 

He did not is now a bat ■ doubt on 
the particular religion be preached was, 
until bis doubts were BUgg< -(< d by lm- 
ons. He, to t bis da} i egards bis 
w ork as an Advent 1st mlulsu r, 
schooling, a college, a n< a ork, 

to prepare him for the a oi k In I 
doing; a a oi k, which by the a aj Is un- 
like that done by ai lac In the 
world. 

in a debate a itb i 
in < lharlotte, Mich in 1862, in reply to 



56 



MOSES HULL 



Mr. Jones' remark that the righteous 
dead were in heaven praising God, he 
said "the dead do not praise God, for 
the dead know not anything." He 
then quoted, "They are extinct," They 
are quenched as tow;" they are not;" 
they shall be as though they ha(jL not 
been," etc. He then said, "According 
to these texts the dead are out of exist- 
ence. Now, will Mr. Jones tell us how 
the dead, who are out of existence, can 
praise the Lord." He paused a moment 
and heard a voice say, "How can these 
who are out of existence be raised from 
the dead ; " 

He supposed Mr. Jones and the whole 
audience heard the voice; it happened 
however, that they did not. Mr. Hull 
never got over that voice. When he 
was alone he would undertake to reply 
to the question it asked, but, the more 
ho replied the more persistently the 
question asked itself, "How can those 
who are not, be raised from the dead?'' 

This voice was heard no more for 
several months. He had a debate with 
W. F. Jamieson, who was at that time 
a Spiritualist. In that debate Mr. 
J. presented evidence of spiritual phe- 
nomena. Mr. Hull told him he would 
save him the trouble of presenting fur- 
ther evidence on' that subject by admit- 
ting all his evidence in advance; he 
believed it; he had no doubt that there 
were genuine phenomena enough to 
build the theory of spiritualism on, but 
they were not produced by the dead, 
as "the dead know not anything." 
"They are the spirits of devils working 
miracles." Next Mr. Hull undertook 
to present an argument to prove the 
dead could not produce the phenomena. 
He stated that the mind was a function 
of the brain, depending upon the brain 
for its existence. Without brains there 
can be no thought. In death, the 
blood ceases to How to the brain and 
the brain does not act, therefore the 
dead cannot think. 

Then the voice spoke again and said, 
"please tell the people how the devil 



can think and perform these wonders 
without a physical brain; or, if devils 
can do this without physical brains, 
why the dead cannot." This voice 
seemed objective, and so positive that 
Mr. Hull supposed every one in the 
audience heard it, he was perfectly 
sure that, Mr. Jamison, being a med- 
ium, heard it, and would tell him of 
it in his next speech; but Mr. J. did 
not. 

More than a hundred times Mr. 
Hull went off by himself to try to reply 
to what he then heard, but the more 
he replied the more firmly he became 
convinced that his theory was founded 
on nothing better than rolling sand. 
The result was he, after months of 
prayer, much study and many tears, 
announced himself as a Spiritualist. 
His work in spiritualism since 1863 
is well known. In all this time he 
was never known to be idle. In 1864 
he founded the Progressive Age. This 
paper he sold to S. S. Jones, and it be- 
came a nucleus for the Religio-Phil- 
osophical Journal. 

Later Mr. Hull formed a publishing 
company, in Baltimore, which pub- 
lished The Crucible. He was superin- 
tendent of this company and editor of 
The Crucible for near a year, when an 
unfortunate circumstance induced the 
company to elect another superintend- 
ent, who, in six weeks squandered its 
funds and financially wrecked The 
Cfucible. Mr. Hull then went to 
Boston, and revived the paper and run 
it six years under the name Hull's 
Crucible. Mr. Hull also founded and 
for two years published a large green- 
back paper called The Commoner. 
New Thought was his last journalistic 
venture. This was started and run six 
years as the organ of the Mississippi 
Valley Association of Spiritualists, and 
of its camp-meeting held in Clinton, 
Iowa every year. When that camp 
meeting became an established affair, 
recognized in all the papers, and no 
longer needed an agent. Mr. Hull 



MOSES HULL. 



57 



sold New Thought to The Better Way, 
now The Light of Truth to which he is 
now a regular contributor. 

While Mr. Hull has always been 
known, understood, and loved by his 
friends, he has been a terribly misun- 
derstood man by those who have not 
known him. Probably he has in part, 
been to blame for this himself. There 
has never been a time wLen he could 
not with a very few paragraphs of 
explanation, have stopped the mouths 
of his enemies; but he took the position 
at the start that no enemy, or even all 
of his enemies combined should not 
extort from him any explanations. 
He would make any sacrifice for friends 
but would say or do nothing merely to 
gratify those who had undertaken to 
write him down. 

In the heat of the Woodhull excite- 
ment, he took strong grounds with 
what he then believed and now believes 
to have been a terribly wronged, per- 
secuted and sufTering woman. He wrote 
a letter with the design that the letter 
should draw the enemies' fire from a 
sick woman to himself. It was a suc- 
cess. 

While Mr. Hull, could hardly be 
induced today to write such a letter 
lit- has never been known to express a 
regret for having written that one 
He save he was led by a power higher 
and wiser than himself. While it has 
Compelled him to stand comparatively 

alone for many years, it baa taught 

him, that with the angels help he can 

stand alone. Mr. Hull has enemies, 

DOt a dozen Of Which he ever saw. lit- 
is glad to know that among all his 
enemies not one is acquainted with 
him, and not one can point to a man 

woman or child on earth that he ever 
Injured. 

Mr. Hull's work is not done; today 

• Us to lecture extend from the 
Atlantic to the Pacific. Se has several 
hooks in preparation ami in presa to be 
brought out in the near future. 

At last Mr. I lull's enemies, with prob- 



ably one single exception, have volunta- 
rily laid down their enmity. Many of 
them have confessed that they were 
moved in their enmity wholly by their 
prejudices. Many of them have asked 
his pardon, and, if there is a more pop- 
ular man in the ranks of Spiritualism, the 
writer does not know who he is. His 
calls to preach extend not only all over 
this country, but throughout the civilized 
world. 

Mr. Hull has written many books, the 
title of some of which are in part as 
follows: 

"Encyclopedia of Biblical Spiritual- 
ism." This is one of the largest, and 
some say, by far the most entertaining 
book that ever came from his pen. It 
contains references to over five hundred 
places in the Bible where Spiritualism is 
proved or implied, and exhibits the Bible 
in an entire new light. Besides this it 
contains a brief sketch of what is known 
of the origin of the books of the Bible. 
Nearly two thousand copies of this hook 
were sold before it came from the press. 
Ministers, doctors, lawyers, judges, con- 
gressmen and senators read and grow 
enthusiastic over it. 

"Two in One." A volume of nearly 
500 pages, with excellent portrait of the 
author. There is more Scriptural, 
entific, Biblical and Historic argument in 
this hook than in any Other^Moses Hull 

ever wrote. It contains stores of argu- 
ment which cannot be gainsayed. 

"Tin; Spiritual Alps and Ih.w \\V 

Ascend Them; or^a few thoughts on how 
to reach that altitude where the spirit is 

supreme and all thin •< t to it." 

"Joan tin- Medium, or tin- inspired 
I [eroine of < Means. Spiritualism 
I .r.id.-i of Armies. 11 This «< at on< <• a 
most truthful history o( Joanol Arc and 
a convincing argument. No novel was 
ever on >re interesting, no hist >> y more 

tun-. 

M Th( Real! I ntains 

statisti :i the 

tenden< ies of the tin 

"All About I I Of -in III): 



5* 



MOSES HULL. 



to whether Modern Spiritualism and 
other Great Reforms come from his Sa- 
tanic Majesty and His Subordinates in the 
kingdom of darkness. 

"Jesus and the Mediums, or Christ and 
Mediumship." A careful comparison of 
sOme of the Spiritualism and Mediumship 
of the Bible with that of to-day. An 
argument proving that Jesus was only a 
medium, subject to all the conditions of 
modern mediumship. It also shows that 
all the manifestations throughout the Old 
and New Testament we/e under the same 
conditions that mediums require to-day; 
and that the coming of Christ is the 
return of mediumship to the world. 

"The Spiritual Birth, or Death and Its 
To-morrow." The spiritual idea of 
death, heaven and hell. This pamphlet, 
besides giving the spiritualistic interpret- 
ation of many things in the Bible — inter- 
pretations never before given, explains 



the heavens and hells believed in by 
Spiritualists. 

Mr. Hull's residence is now in Chica- 
go, at 29 Chicago Terrace, where he has 
purchased a beautiful little house which 
bears the name "Valhalla." 

Mr. Hull says he is now determined to 
labor the remainder of his days for the 
establishment of a school, where ladies 
and gentlemen can be so prepared for 
the platform that Spiritualism shall be 
able to boast of a ministry which shall be 
fully able to compete in talent and educa- 
tion with the ministers in the various 
pulpits in the land. He sees no reason 
why the spirit world cannot co-operate 
with people who are technically educated 
lor their work as well as for ignoramuses. 
All intelligent Spiritualists hope Mr. Hull 
or somebody else will accomplish that 
work. 



r^Q&G)^ 



: 




MATTIE E. HULL. 



MATTIE E. HULL. 



(Written on Mrs. Hull's 52nd Birthday, June 22, 1S92, by Moses Hull.) 



Almost a quarter 01 a century nas passed 
since I became intimately acquainted with 
the subject of this article, and, having 
lived with her twenty years of that time, 
I feel safe in saying I know her pretty 
thoroughly, both as a medium and as a 
woman. Mattie comes of good, honest 
New England stock. I was not acquaint- 
ed with her father, but her mother has 
lived in our home several years, and I 
can say a more honest, conscientious and 
dutiful mother never lived. Mattie's 
sisters also are intelligent and noble 
women. 

Mattie's girlhood was, perhaps, not 
much different from that of other ordinary 
girls, except in the early development of 
mediumship. She was educated at Mount 
Catesar Academy, and, had not medium- 
ship siezed her, she would probably have 
spent a portion of her life either as a 
common school teacher or in music, of 
which she is passionately fond, and in 
which her father, who was a musician, 
educated her. 

Mediumship, which generally has its 
own way, spoiled the calculations of her 
parents and of herself. 

Forty years ago mediumship seized 
Mattie; at that early period little was 
known of mediumship, and her parents 
were as ignorant as parents generally 
were, as to what it was. The best medi- 
cal skill in the country exhausted itself in 
trying to find out what was the matter, 
and much nauseous medicine was s< i-n- 
tifically poured down her throat, to cure 
her of "The-lord-only-knows-wh.it," all 
to no purpose. The child grew worse; 
that is, mediumship increased. The 
neighbors were called in to witness the 
automatic writing, and to hear tin- 1 hild 
"preach in her sleep.'' Somebody finally 
suggested that they had known a medium 

to act very much as the child was acting, 

and it was L: :nied thai her disease was a 



chronic attack of spiritual mediumship. 
There was no cure; the only thing to do 
was to let it work itself out. It has been 
working ever since, and manifests no 
particular signs of working out. When 
she was only thirteen years old some of 
the New Hampshire and Massachusetts 
churches were opened, and her father was 
invited to. take the little phenomenon 
there to preach, which he did. Some of 
these discourses were stenographically 
reported, and Mattie became a convert 
to Spiritualism by reading reports of her 
own discourses. 

At the age of 17, Mattie married Mr. 
C. C. B.Sawyer, a very good and worthy 
man, though he was neither musically or 
eminently spiritually inclined. He thor- 
oughly believed in his wife and her medi- 
umship and music, and in every way he 
could assisted in her work. He enlisted 
in the war against the rebellion, where he 
contracted consumption, which carried 
him out of the world. 

For many years Mattie, beside preach- 
ing, sat as a medium. She became as 
thoroughly disgusted with the average 
sitter as many sitters are with some medi- 
ums. She found that fully two-thirds of 

those who go to mediums go for anything 
else than a knowledge of spiritual things. 
Many go with the direct intention of tak- 
ing the advantage of being alone with a 
lady, and offering an insult. ( m!i 
their very fir ri question Bhow that they 
are in Spiritualism for the "1 
fishes,"— in other words, to prostitute h 
t, ( mercenary pin pi ise •; and Mill 
go to mediums I spirit world to 

help them out of so;". 

So small a proportion o( medium 

limit- ■; in 11 ted I >le 

Dal, that ' Hull k i 

giving Bittii 

where 

Her mediumship b '> »e 



6o 



MATTIE E. HULL. 



phase of poetry and music, more than 
any other. As a speaker she is better 
known than otherwise, having traveled 
from Maine to California, and spoken in 
nearly every one of the Northen states, 
and in several south of Mason and Dixon's 
line. She has never been known, in her 
speeches or in private conversation, to 
say a hard thing of anybody. No matter 
what is said of her she never retaliates. 
Indeed, the worst secret of her worst 
enemy is safe in her hands. 

Mrs. Hull has written hundreds of very 
readable poems, many of which have 
been published. Her volume. of poetic 
and prose essays, entitled "Wayside 
Jottings," has passed through two edi 
tions, and the demand for it is undimin- 
ished. She hasanother volume rsady for 
the press, but as yet we hesitate about 
bringing it out. Some time since about 
twenty of her songs were published on a 
card, over six thousand copies of which 
were sold in one year. Last February 
we issued thirty-one of her songs in a 
pamphlet, already we are preparing to 
to issue the fifth thousand. We now 
have in incubation a book of her best 
Songs, together with constitution for 
societies, marriage service, burial service 
and a few other things needed by Spirit- 
ualists everywhere. All of which, except 



the songs, will be prepared by the writer 
of this. 

At this time, Mrs. Hull's 52nd birthday, 
she is more determined than ever to use 
the gifts the angels hava conferred on 
her, in the advancement of the cause to 
which her life has been devoted. She 
asks Spiritualists everywhere to give her 
an opportunity to be useful in the cause. 

P. S. It is now January, 1896. I am 
invited to add a little to the above. I see 
no reason to change anything here writ- 
ten. I will add that her song book has 
doubled in size and passed through sev- 
eral editions of 2,000 each since the above 
was written. Mattie is now in her fifty- 
sixth year, and, if possible, more earnestly 
engaged in the work than ever before. 

A new development has come to her 
for poetry and invocations. She has 
gone to work earnestly for the children; 
in that work she seems to have found her 
fort, and in that work, especially at camp- 
meetings, she is employed and appreci- 
ated more than in anything she ever did 
before. Her calls to organize and teach 
the children at camps extend from Maine 
in the East to Oregon and Washington 
in the Northwest. 





DR. N. F. RAVLIN. 



DR. N. F. RAVLIN. 



N. F. Ravlin, the subject of this sketch, 
was born in Essex county, New York, 
June i, 1831. Before the close of the 
following year his parents moved to 
what was then an uncultivated region, the 
wilderness of Western New York, and 
settled in Clymer, Chautauque county. 
His boyhood was thus spent literally in 
the woods. All his earlv recollections 
are associated with the Heech, Maple, 
Pine and Hemlock forests, with which 
Chautaque county was at that time cover- 
ed. His lather was the Rev. Thomas 
Ravlin, a man of most remarkable 
memory and eloquence, who for nearly 
fifty years preached the gospel according 
to the accepted standards of the Baptist 
denomination. He was a man of pro- 
gressive thought, independentjudgement, 
and fearless utterance, far in advance of 
the ministers of his time in his interpre- 
tation of the scriptures. For this reason 
many failed to under-; Land him. He was 
misjudged by some, feared by others, and 
Uted by those who were jealous 
and envious of his power. In 1845 he 
removed with his family to the "Far 
West," as it was then termed, and settled 
on the, at that time, unbroken prairies of 
Illinois, fifty miles due west from Chicago, 
which town then claimed 8,000 inhabit- 
ants. One year afterwards, in the autumn 
ol [846, Father Ravlin died, leaving his 
family in fairly comfortable circumstances, 
though strangers in a strange land. His 

was the first mortal form laid in what is 

now the Kaneville Cemetery. 

The subject of our sketch was the 
youngest of seven children, four boys and 
three girls. On the death of his father 
the care ol the family devolved upon the 
brother next older than him, Hon. N\ \\ 
Ravlin, who was afterwards elected to the 
Illinois Legislature, and who served his 

township as Supervisor for twnty-ei^lit 

consecutive years, and who was hon 



as chairman ol the Board of Supervisors 
of Kane county for more than twenty 
years of that period. X. F. Ravlin was 
but fifteen years of age when his father 
died. From that time he worked his own 
way in the world, and labored from day- 
light till dark on the farm for $13 per 
month. When eighteen years old, he 
was in the woods splitting rails by the 
thousand to pay for timber tor fence posts 
to fence a small farm that fell to him as 
his share of his father's estate. The farm 
he afterwards sold in order to obtain an 
education. 

He was converted to so-called Christi 
anity when nineteen years of age, and was 
induced to believe that he ought to 
study for the ministry. Hence, all other 
pursuits were abandoned, all other plans 
laid aside, and everything was consecrat- 
ed upon the "Altar for Christ's Sake,'' 
as it was termed. Two years were spent 
in the University of Rochester, New York, 
but ill health prevented the completion of 
the prescribed course of study, and Mr. 
Ravlin returned West with a shattered 
constitution, and with little expectation 
ot living but a short time. But rest from 
study and a change of climate partially 
restored his health, and he was accord- 
ingly ordained as a Baptist minister, and 

took a small countiv church "far out 

upon the Prairie." The meetings were 
held in different school booses. This 
church agreed to give their pastor the 
munificent sum of $300 per year, and his 
bouse rent and fire w< lod. The b u -•■ 
consisted oftwo small rooms standing <>n 
the bleak prairie, withoul a 

about it. 1 be agreement was 
honestly kepi on the pari of the 
chun h, and the relati >n was not of 

duration. H-- . that 

hurch 

had not been his last, for he often < \- 
,1 bimseli thai he had np but 



62 



N. F RAVLIN 



to be a pastor of a church; that he had 
neither taste nor aptitude for pastoral 
work; yet he seemed pressed into it, and 
there did not seem any way out of it. 

Mr. Ravlin's principal pastorates were 
at Freeport, Illinois, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 
Racine, Wis., Chicago, 111., and San JoKe, 
Cal. He preached in Chicago fourteeii 
years, and during that time was called to 
officiate at the dedication of fifty-one 
Baptist churches, and he raised that 
number of church debts amounting to 
many thousands of dollars. He was very 
popular with the masses, and always had 
crowded audiences. He assailed the 
conventional shams of society, the pious 
frauds and hypocrites in the church, and 
the sins and crimes of the age — so widely 
and notoriously fostered by corrupt legis- 
lation — with a fearlessness and a boldness 
of utterance seldom ever heard from the 
pulpit. Fidelity to t^uth and principle as 
he understood it, rather than policy, con- 
trolled his pulpit utterances. For this 
reason he was often subjected to bitter 
persecutions from envious and jealous 
ministers who had nothing in common 
with righteous principle, but were 
governed by a time-serving policy that 
would not scruple, in order to serve per- 
sonal ends, to make merchandise of the 
gospel of Chn'st. By pious platitudes and 
godless ceremonials they would assume 
to preach Jesus as the Christ, and yet 
crucify him daily between the two thieves 
of hyprocrisy and supreme self-interest. 
Mr. Ravlin was ordained when but 
twenty-two years of age, and entered 
upon the work of the ministry honestly, 
and without the shadow of a doubt but 
that all ministers were honest and just 
what they seemed. I Ic learned by bitter 
experience that "All is not gold that 
glitters," and that it is possible for "A 
man to smile and smile and vet be a 
villian." His bitterest enemies have 
been, and are, professed ministers of the 
gospel, who have been most unrelenting 
and conscienceless in their duplicity or 
double-dealing, and their underhanded 
schemes to advance their own glory by 
sullying the good name of another. Of 
course he recognizes the fact that there are 



good men, nonest and true, in tne ministry; 
men who are grand and noble exceptions 
to the general rule, and who are as much 
above the average type of preachers as 
an ac^elis above a foul "bird ot night." 
During the late war Mr. Ravlin ardently 
espoused the Union cause, and although 
ill health prevented him from entering 
the army, yet he was mainly instrumental 
in recruiting two regiments of men, and 
delivered five hundred war speeches and 
sermons, besides raising large amounts 
of money to pay soldiers' bounties. On 
two occasions he delivered a "war 
speech" where the "Knights of the Gol- 
den Circle" had sworn to kill him if he at- 
tempted it. Although being informed of 
the threats made, and being entreated by 
anxious friends not to put his life in such 
peril, he went boldly forward, and with 
burning eloquence, hurled defiance in the 
face of his country's secret enemies, re- 
gardless of consequences. Utterly fear- 
less, he seemed inspired for the occasion, 
and no doubt did more for the Union 
cause than if he had been at the front in 
the field. Now that the war is over, all 
feeling of hostility toward the people of 
the South has been eliminated from his 
nature, and he recognizes that, educated 
as they were, they were equally honest in 
the defense of what they regarded as their 
inalienable rights. 

Removing to California, in 1881, he was 
induced to accept the pastorate of the 
Baptist church in San Jose, which position 
he held for over four years, attracting the 
largest religious audiences ever assem- 
bled in the Garden City. Four months 
after commencing his pastorate the church 
edifice was burned, and Mr. Ravlin was 
mainly instrumental in building the finest 
and most commodious church in the city, 
containing a fine pipe organ. It has seat- 
ing accomodations for 1,000 people, and 
not unfrequehtly 1,200 were convened 
within its walls on Sunday nights to listen 
to the popular pastor of the Baptist 
church. But his success provoked envy 
and persecutions from other ministers, 
who labored assiduously to sow discord 
among the members of the Baptist 
church, and thus break Mr. Ravlin's hold 



N. F, RAVLIN 



63 



upon his people, and upon the general 
public. Measures were resorted to of 
which ordinary sinners would be ashamed, 
but they were only partially successful. 
In uprightness of life and in a character 
without a stain, the subject of our sketch 
stood invulnerable against all the shafts 
of his enemies, without a breath of 
scandal attaching to his name, or sullying 
his reputation. But, amid the storm of 
persecutions, he grew more and more 
liberal. Months before he resigned his 
pastorate he publicly rejected the whole 
bundleof orthodox theology, and deliver- 
ed a series of discourses on the cardinal 
doctrines of the creed, which were pub- 
lished in book and in pamphlet torm by 
the Swedenborgian Publication Society 
of Philadelphia, Pa., under the caption of 
'Progressive Thought on Great Subjects,' 
and which were mailed by said society to 
all the orthodox ministers in the United 
States. 

Mr. Ravlin received many bitter, 
vituperative letters from Divines (?) of all 
denominations, denouncing him, in the 
veritable spirit of the old Inquisition, for 
his "Heresy," each man supposing that 
the author had sent him the book. Out 
of hundreds of letters received, only two 
or three breathed a charitable spirit, or 
sought in any way to reclaim the "Here- 
tic" from the error of his ways. Although 
Mr. Ravlin held the majority of his church 
firm in his support, yet he at last became 
tired of occupying an orthodox pulpit, 
when he himself had wholly outgrown its 
narrow limits. Accordingly, he gave up 
hissalary,resigned bis pastorate, and with- 
drew from all connection with the ( Inn < h 
and Baptist denomination. Although out 
of the fold, a liberalist and and a free man, 
yet he was a bitter opponent of what is 
known as Modern Spiritualism. He al- 
ways insisted that none of his kindred 
•vould ever come to him through a third 
psrson. If they had anything to com- 
municate they would come to him d 
rmd not through some medium. Hut, .is 
the sequel shows, he was mistaken, and 
they convinced him of his mist 

The first evidence of the truth of Spir- 
itualism he ever received w,is by met 



astonishing tests of spirit return and 
identity through the mediumship of Dr. 
Louis Schlesinger, then of Oakland, Cal. 
The names of all his deceased kindred 
were given, their places of residence and 
the diseases with which they died, together 
with a characteristic message from each. 
The proofs were absolutely overwhelm- 
ing. They came entirely unsought; for 
when Mr. Ravlin entered Dr. Schlesinger's 
office he was not aware that the doctor 
was either a Spiritualist or a medium. 
Had he known it he could not have been 
hired to cross the threshold of his office, 
so intense was his prejudice against Spirit- 
ualism. Afterwards, through others,and in 
his own home, spirits came, giving proof 
of their identity, and demonstrating the 
truth of immortality. There was no 
longer any room for doubt. All pre- 
judice was overcome, and all opposition 
was ended. A smoking habit of twenty 
years was broken up. and a new life 
began. Ignorance had given place to 
knowledge; bigotry was dispelled by en- 
lightenment, and blindness by under- 
standing. 

During the campmeeting in Oakland, 
seven years ago, Mr. Ravlin boldly avow- 
ed himself a Spiritualist, and before its 
close delivered three lectures in its de- 
fense. In doing this he closed the door 
of every pulpit in Christendom against 
himself, and suffered both social and re- 
ligious ostracism from the denomination 
to which he gave the best years of his life. 
He really made a sacrifice for the truth 
to which his eyes were opened, and it re- 
quired no little decree of courage to do 
it. Those who knew him hid "cast him 

out," and those to whom he came did 
not know him. But there werenomur- 
murings or misgivings, either on his part 
or that of his family. "They had bread t" 
eat the church knew not of." "Angela 
came and ministered unto them." Their 
kindred from the realm of spirit mi: 
in their httle family circle. To them, 
th< iv ], ,\ ■ , ! 1 mes, long mourned as 
were now alive more truly than b 
They proved this in many and unra 

able ways. The in. tin 

were always in accord with theethi 



6 4 



N. F. RAVLIN 



the Golden Rule. The counsel given them 
from the angels were of the highest wis- 
dom and deepest knowledge. He is much 
encouraged in his work by his faithful, 
loving wife, who says that she had rathei 
know what they know, and have their ex- 
perience in spiritual unfoldment, than tc 
be back in the church with their former 
salary, and be in ignorance ot this truth 
by which we understand the nature of 
the "world to come," and receive the 
sweet ministration of "angelic spirits." 
On the sixth of July, 1890, Mr. Ravlin 
commenced his labors as speaker for the 
{Society of Progressive Spiritualists in this 
city, and filled the platform every Sunday 
for two years, both morning and evening, 
discussing in a vigorous and convincing 
manner every phase of Spiritualism and 
reform. He speaks purely by inspiration, 
and the more intelligent and spiritual 
people may be, the more they are at- 
tracted bv his lectures. He answers 
written questions from the audience, 
whenever desired, in the fewest possible 
words, and with a promptitude and direct- 
ness that is trulv commendable. He is 



intensely in earnest, and carries convic- 
tion to the minds of all that he is seeking 
to build up the society for which he 
speaks, and to defend the Philosophy of 
Spiritualism and the facts of its phenom- 
ena against all assailants, rom whatever 
quarter they may come. Having been 
for thirty years in the orthodox ministry, 
he understands every line of battle, every 
strategetic movement of the enemy, every 
argument against our position, and is 
fully prepared to meet the issue in open, 
honorable warfare. 

After two years of faithful service, Mr. 
Ravlin was granted a leave of absence 
for one year, intending to make a tour of 
the eastern cities, visit the various camp- 
meetings, etc., but, at the expiration of 
six months, circumstances arose which 
threatened the very existence of the so- 
ciety, and he was recalled to again occupy 
their platform. He returned to San Fran- 
cisco and resumed his ministrations which 
continued for another year. He then 
accepted a call from Los Angeles, and 
has been engaged in that city the greater 
portion ot the past two years. 




JOHN H. LIEN INC 



JOHN H. LIENING. 



John H. Lieniug was born in Ger- 
many, January 6, 1818. On his father's 
side the ancestry were Germans as far 
back as can be traced. His great grand- 
father was a soldier in the Thirty years' 
war, being in the service during all 
those years. On his mother's side the 
ancestry were Scotch, going from Scot- 
land to Germany during the reign of 
William, Prince of Orange. His father 
was a miller and small farmer. At the 
age of fourteen young Liening emi- 
grated to the United States, in the 
Dutch brig A/ni/ia, landing in Balti- 
more, Maryland. After a few days in 
Baltimore, this adventurous youth 
started on foot across the Alleghany 
Mountains to Pittsburg. He went by 
canal- boat to Cincinnati, Ohio, and 
there bound himself to a pork merchant 
for three years for board and clothing, 
and was to receive one year's schooling 
during the time. He remained one 
year, received the board, but no school- 
ing, and the clothing consisted of one 
well-worn plug hat, which he left; be- 
hind him. 

The same year his father, mother, 
ix brothers, and two Bisters, and uncle, 
with wife and children, all came from 
Germany to make their homes in 
America. The cholera was raging in 
Cincinnati when they arrived. They 
at once hurried out into the country, 

where they expected to buy land, but 

on the journey one of his I trot hers died 

of the dreaded disease. The others 

reached their destination in Auglaize 
County, where, between Monday and 
Saturday, all oft he t wo families, except 

one Bister, died of the same diseaf 

The next year, 1884, the boy starter 
on the ChiQkOBOW for Mobile, where In- 

stayed for two year-, Working Oil I 
steamers as cabin-boy. In 1886 lie 
went to Florida and enlisted for the 



Seminole War. In 1838 he returned to 
Cincinnati, where he was married at 
not quite twenty years of age. He 
lived in Vicksburg, Memphis, and 
many other Southern cities, including 
New Orleans, coming to California 
"around the Horn" in 1849. The 
journey occupied seven months. Ar- 
riving in San Francisco, October 20, 
1849, he engaged in business here and 
was quite successful. In the spring of 
1850 he started, in company with sev- 
eral others, for the mines on Feather 
River, just above Rich Bar, which 
proved afterwards so very rich, but 
which they failed to discover, although 
working on both sides of the Rich Bar 
for about a month. He spent about 
three months in hunting Gold Lake, 
but finally found Pyramid Lake. On 
the route to Feather River they passed 
any number of emigrant wagons de- 
serted in the snow, the carcasses of the 
animals lying in the harness, the wag. 
oils containing many articles of value. 
In the fall of the same year he went 
to Horsetown, live miles from Shasta. 
Having spent over three thousand 
dollars prospeotiug, he began work 
with only twenty-live cents clean cash 
and three mules. In the spring of 1851 
he DOUght gOOdS at Sacramento and 
hauled them to Shasta, taking them Oil 

to. the mines on paok-mules. lb- came 

by way of OolUSB on those trips, took a 
liking to the place, and promised to re- 
turn some future day and Locate, and 
ii.i locate there in October, 18 »1. He 
opened a restaurant and lodging-house, 

Commencing this business about where 

Spaulding'f shop Btandi at present. 

At this time an Incident occurred 

worth relating. A man came to the 
restaurant one evening, Inquiring if ■ 
iteamei bad gone down the rrt«r. 
wh. ii told it bad Just gone, be ex- 



66 



JOHN H. LIENING. 



llaimed "Well, then, my money is 
gone!" On being asked what he 
meant, he said he had stopped at Moon's 
ranch with his pack-train, and, carry- 
ing into the house what, to all out- 
ward appearances, was an ordinary 
flour-sack containing a camp kit — cook- 
ing utensils, bacon, flour, etc. — had laid 
it on a box behind the door. In the 
bottom of the sack was a buck-skin bag 
containing over four thousand dollars' 
worth of gold-dust. ' Now the box he 
had laid the flour sack on was marked 
for Sacramento, which he did not no- 
tice. While out attending to his mules, 
he heard the boat-whistle, and, hurry- 
ing into the house, looked, of course, for 
the sack— it had been put on the boat 
by mistake. Moon, on being made ac- 
quainted with the contents of the sack, 
at once lent him a fine horse to over- 
take the boat, which he did at a big 
bend in the river, but it w r ould not 
Btop for him. He tried to get someone 
to go to Sacramento to save his money, 
but no one seemed to care to take the 
journey, as the country was flooded 
with water. He cried and fretted over 
his loss until Mr. Liening's sympathies 
were aroused and he offered to make 
the trip. Donning an extra shirt, but 
without a coat, he mounted a fine Cali- 
fornia horse and started, at nine o'clock 
at night, for Sacramento. There was 
no moon and it was cloudy. After 
swimming his horse and getting wet 
to the skin several times, he finally ar- 
rived in Sacramento just as the boat 
was unloading its freight, and succeed- 
ed in getting the sack containing the 
gold-dust. Upon its return to the 
owner at Colusa, that individual gener- 
ously paid Mr. Liening's expenses and 
no more. 

In 1852 he was invited to witness a 
curious performance at Doctor Semple's 
home. The doctor was a particular 
friend, and told him that something 
very strange had taken place there the 
night before, in the way of receiving 
communications from the spirit world- 
Though born and educated as a Catho- 
lic.Mr. Liening had become an atheist. 



That evening, on account of business, 
he did not reach the doctor's house 
until a late hour,and,as houses in those 
days were small, he found only stand- 
ing-room for himself. There was quite 
a large table in the center of the room, 
with about a dozen people seated around 
it, equally divided as to sex. Very 
soon after Mr. Liening's arrival a name 
was spelled out for him, Henry Lien- 
ing, claiming him as his father. At 
that time his family was in the East, 
and he was not known in Colusa to 
have a family anywhere. He had lost 
four children during his married life 
and one was named Henry, but at that 
time Mr. Liening did not himself recall 
the child's name. The incident aroused 
his curiosity and he set to work to in- 
vestigate the subject most earnestly, as 
he was not satisfied with the belief of 
an atheist, but still hoped for more 
light, and at the expiration of two years 
from that time became convinced that 
Spiritualism is true, and is still firm 
in his belief. 

In 1854 Mr. Liening returned to the 
East and brought out his family, and 
in 1856 sold out his business in town 
and engaged in cattle-raising, until 
1861, when the war broke out. He en- 
listed as a private in Company D, First 
Cavalry California Volunteers, and pro- 
ceeded to Arizona, New Mexico, and 
Texas. He was in various skirmishes 
with Indians and Confederates, and 
served until 1S63, when he was pro- 
moted to Second Lieutenant, and re- 
turned to California as recruiting offi- 
cer. Soon after, he tendered his re- 
signation, which was accepted. 

He bought the Colusa House prop- 
erty. He was appointed postmaster, 
and his most active service during the 
war was in the next three to five years 
in Colusa, as is well known in the 
county and State. To show his zeal 
for any cause in which he might be 
engaged or have interest in, the follow- 
ing incident is related. When the 
news of the assassination of Lincoln 
was brought to Colusa, someone passed 
a note into the postofiivic stating that 



JOHN. H. LIENING 



6; 



certain persons were taking up subscrip- 
tions to buy powder to fire a salute in 
jubilation over the assassination of 
Abraham Lincoln. Mr. Liening step- 
ped out of the office into the room 
where quite a number of people were 
waiting for the mail, read the note, 
and said, "If any person or persons 
fire a salute in gratification over the 
assassination, I will kill the first man 
so engaged and continue shooting until 
the last is killed or I am shot down." 
In 1870 he sold out his interest in the 
Colusa House property and, being 
broken down in health, started East 
on a trip to recuperate, which finally 
ended in a visit to his birthplace, near 
Hamburg, Germany, and many large 
cities of the Continent. He was in 
Paris at the time war was declared be- 
tween France and Germany, and re- 



turned to Colusa on that account. He 
was next engaged in the Parks dam 
excitement, and became an active 
member of the party who opposed the 
building of the dam, and he said then 
that the land could not be reclaimed 
by dams, but must eventually have 
canals to carry off the surplus water 
during flood-time. He has held sev- 
eral public positions — that of Public 
Administrator, Justice of the Peace, 
etc. At present he is Town Recorder, 
Justice of the Peace, and Notary Public, 
|nd is a popular officer. 

Although at this date Mr. Liening 
Is seventy-two years of age, he is able 
to attend to every duty, and has the ap- 
pearance of a much younger man than 
he really is, and has the promise of 
years to come. 



DR. DEAN CLARKE. 



Inspirational Speaker, A. Pioneer. 



Dr. Dean Clarke, whose name is a 
household word wherever our Spiritual 
journals have been circulated, has been 
before the public for nearly thirty years 
as a lecturer and writer upon Spirit- 
ualism. His nativity was among the 
Green Mountains of Vermont, where 
about half a century ago he drew his 
first vital breath, and where he was 
reared on a farm, and inured, even ir. 
childhood, to the hard labor necessary 
to sustain life upon the stony soil of New 
England. 

His privileges for gaining an education 
were limited to an attendance at a rural 
common school about four months in a 
year, from the age of four to fifteen, when 
he attended a select school three months, 
and at sixteen began his career as a pub- 
ic school teacher. At seventeen years ol 
of age his health tailed from overtaxation 
by mental and physical toil. He inher- 
herited a delicate constitution, and his 
ambition for knowledge and aspiration for 
usefulness, both to his parents and the 
public, caused him to labor beyond his 
powers of endurance, and a weakness of 
his digestive organs began which for five 
succeeding years incapacitated him for 
study, prevented regular school-teaching, 
and even disqualified him for any but 
very light manual labor. After suffering 
"the hell of all diseases," dyspepsia, for 
nearly two years, he was almost des- 
paring of any relief, when, seeing in 
the Spiritual Telegraph — which curiosity 
had prompted his parents to subscribe 
for — accounts of persons being occasion- 
ally healed by spirit power, he was led to 
invoke that aid for himself. 

Alone in the kitchen of his parents' 
farm-house, one winter evening, when 
they and his two junior twin brothers 
were visiting at one of the neighbors, he 
laid his hands on the family table, and 
silently invoked spirit aid. and soon felt 



ainagnetTc power which took possession 
of his hands, and with them manipulated 
his confused . head and debilitated body 
for nearly half an hour. When the 
mysterious influence left him his surprise 
and joy were about equal to find that 
instead of being fatigued he was rested, 
and the dull depressing pain in his diges- 
tive organs was much alleviated. 

This was a momentous event that be- 
gan and shaped his future career as a 
mediatorial instrument for the use of the 
Spirit World. From that time to the 
present this beneficent power has attend- 
ed him as a healing balm, a guiding hand, 
a quickening and illuminating intelligence, 
and as a comforter which has sustained 
him through great hardships, trials, and 
tribulations incidental to his public 
career! 

But several years of discipline and ex- 
perience were necessary to prepare him 
for his final public mission. The disease 
that afflicted his frail body beiny; consti- 
tutional, yielded but slowly to the heal- 
ing efforts of his attendant Indian guide, 
and greatly retarded his spiritual develop- 
ment. The necessities of life required 
what labor he was able to perform upon 
the home farm for a while, and an inborn 
skepticism and distrust of spirit guidance 
required time and trial for its overcoming. 
As soon as his health had sufficiently im- 
proved, his thirst for knowledge, and a 
determination to have a profession to rely 
upon for a livelihood, induced him to 
spend three years in the study of medi- 
cine, vainly, however, so far as that end 
was achieved. The spirit birth of his 
mother called him home from the West, 
where he attended his last course of med- 
ical lectures, and where he had partly 
arranged to enter practice. 

Two years were then spent with his 
father on the farm, partly to recuperate 
his physical powers exhausted by study, 
then a few months were spent as a travel- 




DR. DEAN CLARKE 



DR. DEAN CLARKE 



69 



ing book-agent, when he met a medium 
through whom the spirits told him the 
time was at hand to begin the great work 
so long delayed, which they had for him 
to perform. Not long afterward an invi- 
tation came for him to attend a Spiritual 
meeting at Plymouth, Vt., near the earthly 
home of Achsa W. Sprague, the distin- 
guished trance speaker, then four years 
in spirit life. Here he was invited to speak, 
and relunctantly yielding, the arisen Miss 
Sprague wonderfully inspired him to 
address her old neighbors and her 
mother, who unknown to him was present, 
and he spoke so pathetically and power- 
fully, that all were thrilled, and several 
moved to tears, rather of joy than ol 
sorrow ! 

This occasion, the 19th of May, 1866, 
fulfilled tor him the prophecies and 
promises frequently given him from spirit 
sources, but doubtfully received during 
the preceding years of preparation. 

Space will not permit more than a mere 
allusion to his subsequent public career. 
Announcing through the Banner of Light 
his readiness for work as an inspired 
speaker, calls came from far and near. 
He went to Cincinnati, thence north to 
various places in Indiana, and to Wiscon- 
sin, where a few months of labor succeed- 
ed, whence he returned and labored in 
various parts of New England till the 
spring of 1868, when he was called by 
the State Missionary Assoi iation of Mi h« 
igan to organize societies and lecture 
throughout that State. For eight month- 
he was var? savscessful, and won high 
e-ic-^rrrns as a speaker, then for foui 
months assisted the President of the 
Association in editing the Present 
paper started to aid the Spiritual work in 
connection with tin- Missionai 

Disagreement with the nominal edltOI 

led to Dr. Clarke's resignation and the 
resumption of lii-, independent public 
work. He journeyed eastward and spok-- 
a few months under the auspices of the 
State Spiritualist Association ol Pennsyl- 
vania; then was < .ill- -I to 1 similar work 
by the New York State As ociation, 
spending the winter 1 print ipally 

in Western New York. From there he 



returned to New England, and spent two 
years speaking in all ot those States with 
increasing power and fame, though with 
small pecuniary returns. While there he 
twice presided over the only general 
Campmeeting then held, which assem- 
bled at Lake Walden, in Old Concord, 
Mass. As presiding officer he won 
high ecomiums from Prof. Denton, 
Lizzie Doten, Thomas Gales Forster. 
Ed. S. Wheeler, Dr. H. B. Storer and 
other renowned veteran speakers, who 
praised his graceful, dignified and happy 
manner of presenting them, and keepirg 
order and harmony in all the protracted 
sessions. 

In the winter ot 1872, while stopping in 
New York City, Dr. Clarke was the guest 
ofa Mrs. Baker.a well-known Spiritualist, 
now the wife of Colonel Kase, of Phila- 
delphia. One afternoon she invited about 
fifty of her friends to meet him in her 
parlors, among whom were Colonel S F. 
Tappan and his wife, since Mrs. Cora I.. 
V. Richmond, Mrs. Pomcrov, wife ot 
"Brick" Pomeroy, and her sister and 
husband, a son of Mr. Goodyear, of Rub- 
ber celebrity, and an Indian woman 
named Mary Powell. During a seance 
which ensued, Dr. Clarke was controlled 

by his Indian guide and healer, and ap- 
proaching this Indian women he addressed 
her in a language which to him was a to- 
tally "unknown tongue," and she re- 
sponded. She then translated into English 
what she and the spirit through Dr. Clarke 

had said, and thus, for a lull hour, a dia- 
logue went on between them she trans* 

lating, as they talked, to the auditors who 

astonished and delighted it so mar* 
velousman festation of spirit power. Mis-, 
Powell informed the auditors that t!" y 
had spoken in the language of the Dela- 
ware tiih-- <>l Indians, and tliat the S pii it 
Indian SDOl lly through hi 

diora ! This was a very gratif] 

to 1 )r. Clarke, as well as to ail pi. sent 

In th<- wintei nt to 

Columbia, S < .. w h< 1 ,<>nth. 

to ( lolombu .. 1 ■ >r am >thei 
month, to Atlanta fi >r anothi r, l 
Nashville, Tenn . and to 

in Indiana; then to Wl N OH m, ' 



7° 



DR. DEAN CLARKE 



to Vermont, when in the fall in 1873 he 
came to California. Here in Charter Oak 
Hall he spoke for two months very suc- 
cessfully. But his health being poor, he 
had to suspend speaking here, and went 
South as far as San Bernardino, speaking 
also at Santa Barbarba and Los Angeles. 

Returning, he remained in this city till 
the spring of 76, when he went to Hum- 
boldt county, and spent a few months 
lecturing with success, thence returning 
here, he went to Oregon, receiving there 
very high commendation from the press. 

After a year's service there he journeyed 
to Puget Sound, where for two years and 
a half he did missionary work, awakening 
much interest in the Spiritual cause. He 
spent the winter of 1879-80 in Eastern 
Oregon, then labored assiduously in 
Portland, where he fitted up a hall, and 
organized a society to which he minis- 
tered six months, doing great good. 

Returning to San Francisco, several 
months of rest were required to restore 
health and strength, then in 1881 he 
opened Washington Hall for the first 
time to Spiritual meetings, and occupied 
it about eighteen months; managing and 
speaking at regular Sunday meetings, 
when he yielded his charge to the Society 
of Progressive Spiritualists, which was 
organized out of the attendants at his 
meetings, and to which he gave the 
name it yet bears. 

In 1884 he returned to the New England 
States, where five years were spent in lec- 
turing in all of them with old time suc- 
cess; then a call from Denver took him 
there forsix months, whence he journeyed 
back here to California where he labored 
successfully in Santa Cruz. 

Dr. Clarke has been an active mission- 
ary laboreron the Pacific Coast for sixteen 
years doing a more wide-spread work 
than any other speaker. He has twice 
canvassed the entire length of California, 
Oregon and Washington, visiting most 
of the interior towns of each. On these 
lecturing tours he has received no com- 
pensation except the voluntary contribu- 
tions of skeptical audiences, which, on 
the whole, was barely sufficient to defray 



incidental expenses. Those who know 
him best give him credit for being actu- 
ated by the highest and purest motives, 
and an unselfish love of his fellow-men. 
The desiieto do his whole duty, and 
obey the promptings of the spirit world has 
been paramount to all other considera- 
tions. In his zeal to serve the cause of 
right, truth and justice he has been un- 
sparing in his denunciation of imposters, 
fakirs, and mercenary harpies, who have 
"stolen the livery of heaven" in which to 
deceive and delude honest, confiding 
spiritualists. For his outspoken senti- 
ments he has sometimes been severely 
criticised, but the results always justified, 
and demonstrated the wisdom of his 
course. 

Probably no exponent ot Spiritualism 
now on the rostrum excels him in clearly 
stating the laws underlying spirit com- 
munication. He has made this branch of 
his profession a special study, and is 
capable of answering without hesitation 
any question pretaining to the subject so 
far as the investigations of able observers 
have yet gone. There are of course 
many things connected with Spiritualism 
not yet well understood by even the best 
informed. The action of incarnate mind 
upon mind is in great part yet a mystery; 
therefore it is not to be expected that all 
the processes of spirit manifestation can 
be comprehended by investigators at this 
early stage of psychical research. An- 
other half century of progress like that of 
the past fifty years will make clear much 
that is now classed among the uncertain- 
ties of the occult. 

This sketch of Dr. Clarke's life is a 
very meager summary of twenty-seven 
years of public labor, earnestly, faith- 
fully and self-sacrificingly performed by 
one of our most able, devoted and useful 
spiritual teachers. He has done heroi c 
service for our cause with both tongue 
and pen, and everywhere has won high 
repute as a man of honor and strict integ- 
rity, and as a fearless advocate of all 
reforms, and of truth as his clear intui- 
tions and vigorous intellect have dis- 
cerned it. 




HERMAN SNOW 



HERMAN SNOW. 



BY ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON. 



He was born in Pomfret, Vt, April 9, 
181 2. His parents were intelligent, re- 
spected, healthy and long-lived. There 
were ten of the children, four daughters 
and six sons, all of whom were married 
and settled in life, and with one or two 
doubtful exceptions, all of them, and also 
the parents, became Spiritualists. There 
was no death among these children until 
an average age of about sixty years had 
been reached, or until an aggregate of 
nearly six hundred years had been lived 
by the ten. Herman is the oldest of the 
seven who are still in the earth-life. 

His early years were spent upon the 
home farm, with rather imperfect district 
school privileges, until on his sixteenth 
birthday he met with a severe accident 
which was supposed to disqualify him for 
all future severe bodily labor. I lence he 
turned his attention in other directions, 
and first served an apprenticeship of 
about three years in the mercantile line, 
partly in Boston and partly in a country 
village store. The business did not suit 
him; his yearnings were strong for a more 
intellectual kind of lift- and broader fields 
of action. He broke loose from business 
entanglements and entered a leading 

academy of preparatory instruction at 
Meriden, X. II., but his hopes of a thor- 
ough Collegiate COUrse at Dartmouth 
Were blighted by the wants of ne« 1 
pecuniary means. 

Now the allurements of the great We I 
open up before him; he resolves to seek 
his fortune in that broad and still largely 

unexplored and unappre< iated region. 

In September, [831, at the age of about 



nineteen, he goes oft leisurely and alone; 
takes a ride between Albany and Sche- 
nectady in the first steam railroad pa 
ger train that was put in action in the 
United States, and within a week of the 
formal opening of the road by the State 
officials. At Schenectady a line boat on 
the Grand canal is taken to Buffalo; then 
a schooner passage to Portland harbor, 
enduring a severe lake scorm for three 
days. Now pedestnanism is resorted to 
and kept up as far as Meadville, Pennsyl- 
vania; next, in company with two others, 
French Creek and the Alleghany River 
are navigated in a three-dollar pine skiff 
to Pittsburg, a four days' trip through 
much wild country and some rough 
adventure. 

There he gets employment for a while, 
and then pushes on farther west and 
south. This was but the beginning ol 
an unsettled, wandering life, extending 

west to the extremes of while Settlement 
at the time, and which did not Come t • » .1 
full end for ue irly eight vears, when OUf 

adventurer finds himself living ;it 
ville, Pennsylvania, from which point .1 
new and important change in his condi- 
tion takes place. Through all this 
unsettled life, no i<-.il deep seated happi- 
ness hid been real h< d; only the changing 

ripple-, of ;i sill fa< '• Hie h.id in < 11 !,i 

deeply lelt yearning <>t his inner and bet- 
ter nature remained unanswered; his 

spiritual, religious in-- was in 1 

But a hal d »ul< I be done ! He 
could not be religious in the popular 

•!i, and v--t without 
kind ol <>' In- religious nature, 



72 



HERMAN SNOW 



life seemed sadly insufficient, often deso- 
late to him. But orthodox revivalism 
could not mov^e him; its hell could not 
frighten him into stereotyped church 
creeds and confessions. His own intui- 
tions taught him that there must be an 
overruling power of wisdom and love 
pervading this wonderful universe, but 
the God of the ruling systems of theology 
was seen to be one whom he could not 
love if he would, and would not if he 
could. He firmly believed in a life be- 
yond this, but the orthodox heaven was 
one for which he had no affinity, and a 
verbally inspired Bible was a perpetual 
stumbling block to his intuitive percep- 
tions; he could never endure its study 
beyond the creation story in Genesis. 

Until this time no opportunity had been 
offered him of becoming acquainted with 
liberal and rational views of Christianity; 
but now, at Meadville, he found a small 
and intelligent Unitarian Society, with a 
good minister, through whose instruction 
and guidance, especially in a rightly 
ordered course of reading, he at length 
gained a somewhat satisfactory view of 
the Bible and its doctrines. His inward, 
religious self, began to expand into a 
peaceful, happy activity, and soon with 
the aid and friendly advice of the minister 
and others, on the occurrence of his 
twenty-seventh birthday, with a joyful 
solemnity he dedicated himself to the 
work of a liberal and rational Christian 
minister. Now follows a return to the 
East and a course of theological studies ) 
lasting nearly five years, the last three of 
which embraced the regular course of the 
divinity school of Harvard University. 

He was graduated in July, 1843, Du t 
with a constitution much broken by 
excessive study and the want of a wise 
regard to the laws of physical health. 
The change from an active, external life 
at so late a period, taken in connection 
with a certain degree of zeal without 
knowledge, was too much for his physical 
stability, especially his eye sight. This 
failure began early in the course and con- 
tinued not only through his preparatory 
studies, but also in all his future labors, 



crippling and discouraging him in many 
of his higher purposes, especially in all 
attempts to become a thorough student 
of theology and of general literature. 

It was mainly on this account that, 
after his graduation, he decided not to 
seek for a permanent parish settlement, 
but resolved to devote himself to some- 
thing like an itinerant ministry, with but 
little attention to a student's life. On the 
first day of June, 1845, ne was therefore 
ordained as "an Evangelist," in one of 
the Boston churches. His engagements 
were now by the year, the first one being 
over an old and interesting parish at 
Brooklyn, Conn., (once a part of Pom- 
fret;, preaching in the very chinch which 
Gen. Israel Putnam was accustomed to 
attend during his life-time. 
P* Here was our friend's first experience 
in the joys of married and home life, and 
also a heavy weight of its sorrows, for 
within the space of about twenty months, 
were removed by the death-angel, the 
wife and two young children, leaving him 
homeless and sad. It was, doubtless, 
these severe bereavements'that prepared 
the way for a final, faithful attention to 
the claims of the new Spiritualism, in 
spite of the repulsive dislike which at- 
tended the first approach toward an 
investigation. It was simply as a disa. 
greeable duty that the first efforts were 
made, and the state of mind was one 
almost sure to result in at least a tempo- 
rary failure as, indeed, they did, but what 
came of subsequent efforts was of such a 
decisive nature as absolutely to compel 
belief. When a full conviction was at 
length reached it was with a joy unspeak- 
able, both to visible and invisible friends 
and loved ones. It was now — the "Pearl 
of great price" to this zealous believer, 
which having found, he was ready to give 
up all else to its widespread knowledge 
and support. Being soon after invited to 
the regular charge of a parish, he ac- 
cepted only with a full understanding of 
his present state of mind in regard to 
Spiritualism, and that at all times he 
stood ready to aid those who wished to 
investigate. Several families availed 



HERMAN SXOW 



73 



themselves of the opportunity, circles 
being held with them and mediums 
developed. His own medial tendencies 
also made rapid progress, until there was 
a happy culmination in clairaudience, or 
internal hearing. He was now in direct 
and free communication with his spirit 
helpers, who were zealous in their efforts 
to push him forward in the good work 
which lay before him, and under the 
strong inspirational impulse thus received 
he was induced to prepare for circulation 
a pamphlet entitled, "Incidents of per- 
sonal experience while investigating the 
new phenomena of spirit thought and 
action." This he had printed at his own 
expense, wholly for a free distribution, 
largely among his brother ministers, of 
whom not one was willingly omitted. Of 
about six hundred copies printed, all were 
soon disposed of, not a single copy being 
sold. This was while under a six months' 
engagement at Montague, Mass., (in 
which town are now located the well 
known Spiritualist camp-grounds.) By 
the time this engagement came to a close 
he had come to the resolve to give him- 
self wholly up to the new work. He 
therefore declined a re-engagement, and 
as first move, made a \ isit to his native 
Vermont home, being then much in need 
of a season of quiel repose. But he was 
not allowed to rest Ion-; the pressure 
from visible and invisible surroundings 
was sudi that he BOOH found himsell en 
gaged in holding circles and developing 
mediums anion- the neighbors, until not 
less than one-half of the families we re 
more or less interested or d<-< ided believ- 
ers in the new faith. While here he 
became acquainted with the author, I.. 
Simmons, ., recently developed tram e 
medium of great promise; and, on the 
return trip to Massa< husetts. with the 
consent and advice of the spirit guides, 
the medium speaker was taken as a Spin 
itualist evangelist down the Connecticut 
valley, speaking at tin- leading towns 
along tii«- route, until at length the two 

separated, the medium continuing on to 

Boston, while the thus far managing 
helper took refuge in the pleas.mt So- 



cialistic community of Adin Ballen, at 
Hopedale, where Spiritualism had al- 
ready taken a deep root-hold. 

There our earnest worker spent the 
summer, his mental occupation being the 
preparation for the press of a small* vol- 
ume entitled "Spirit Intercourse," and 
his bodily exercise being in the box- 
making shop of the co-operathe com- 
panies. Early in autumn he went to 
Boston, got his book published., and then, 
still under strong spirit impulse and 
direction, he established a Spiritualist 
headquarters, at his own personal ex- 
pense and under his exclusive control. 

Totheful) enioymentof this central ottice 
of inquiry and investigation, all sincere 
seekers after truth, by advertisement, 
were cordially welcomed, it being under- 
stood that only such free contributions be 
handed in from time to time as might be 
prompted in aid of the expenses incurred 
in keeping up the establishment. Most 
of the actual expenses of the hall were 
thus paid. Many important ends v, 
answered at this Harmony Hall head- 
quarters, and our worker would have 
gladly continued its occupation to 
much longer period, but the drain upon 
his mental and spiritual forces, from a 

constant attention to his steady Influx oi 

visitors, that in about a year, being greatly 
exhausted in his nervous and general 
condition, he was obliged to give up his 

work into the hands oi another eanu Si 
and faithful worker. Now, for about a 

year, the strength still at his command 

was given to aid in the establishing of the 

i ngland Spiritualist .\s„„ jation, ol 
which he became the spei ial busii 

nt. but finally, in the spring oi i 
under wise medi< al and spun advice, 

• ompelled to give up. as fai aspos 
ble, <i// mental and spiritual effort, and t«. 
follow outdoor physic >l laboi 
therefore, with a s.-< ond faithful wif< . 
whom he had i- 1 entl) been united, 
departed again foi tie West, and U| 

tin- i tie- Cit) oi R ill., 

—where on, . in | 
had aided in establishii 

ad 



74 



HERMAN SNOW 



and gave himself up to the cares and 
labors of mundane life, holding on still, 
however, to some degree of active interest 
in the spiritual and religious affairs closely 
around him. At the close of about eight 
years of this kind of life, he found himself 
the creative owner of a beautiful cottage 
and garden home, with abundance of 
fruits and flowers, hedges and shrubbery, 
iust at the highest point of loveliness. All 
this he had gained, but at the expense of 
a further breaking down of his general 
condition, resultingfrom an excess of zeal 
in his gardening. He had become ex- 
travagantly devoted to this, and as he 
could do nothing in moderation, the 
natural penalty of overwork with his 
hands now came to him. In July, 1863, 
this kind of work also had to be given 
up, so he let his pleasant home to a 
stranger, and departed on a long con- 
templated journey as passenger of a 
Mormon ox-train team, over the plains 
and mountains of Utah — a ten weeks' 
solitary trip this. He spent the winter 
among "the Saints," watching their mode 
of life, and studying into their professions 
of faith and practice. During the winter 
he accumulated the material for a good- 
sized volume, but was prevented from 
eventually publishing the same by a fore- 
stallment of another writer, who published 
much the same kind of work, a little in 
advance of his own intentions, He, how- 
ever, published some of his material in 
the public prints, as a series headed 
"Mormonism" by the Light of Spiritual- 
ism," in the R. P. Journal\ also an 
article on "Plurality of Wives," in Vol. 
7, No. 6 of the Overland Monthly (Dec. 

1871.) 

The time of the Utah sojourn was in 
the midst of the war, and "the Saints" 
were full of disloyalty and rebellion; 
there was a lively time also among the 
Indians of the plains, but in spite of all 
our friend made a safe return in the next 
spring. But no restored health came 
back with him, so, on rejoining his wife, 
who had remained at her old Boston 
home, it was decided to sell the place in 
Rockford, as something that could be no 



longer cared for by its owner, though to 
someone else it might still be a happy 
home. Now followed about three years 
of a crippled, desultory life in Massachu- 
setts, in which there was a partial return 
to the regular pulpit preaching, though 
always with a distinct understanding of 
the independent and conscientious views 
of the preacher in regard to the heresy of 
Spiritualism. His closing engagement of 
this kind was at Marshfield, immediatelv 
after the close of which, on the 1st of 
October, 1867, he departed on a long 
contemplated voyage to California, con- 
nected with which was an enterprise 
regarded by him as of great moment, the 
particulars of which it is unnecessary to 
state in detail, as "Snow's Liberal and 
Reform Book Store," on Kearny street, 
San Francisco, will still be remembered 
by the earlier residents. A few items of 
information may be added, however, for 
the benefit of those especially who were 
not then familiar with the Spiritualism of 
the Pacific Coast. 

Mr. Snow had, while still engaged in 
his regular ministerial life, manifested 
great interest in the use and spread of 
the printed page as the best means of 
promoting the growth of a liberal and 
Christian faith. The works of William 
Ellery Channing were regarded by him 
as the most important instrument for this 
kind of work; so, at one point of his 
experience — having first taken means to 
have the price of these books reduced to 
a very low rate — he for a time gave him- 
self almost wholly to the work of their ex- 
tended circulation, with the result that not 
far from four thousand volumes were thus 
widely disseminated through his personal 
effort. This was doubtless the most 
important work accomplished by him 
while in the active Christian ministry. 
Having now a like deep interest in the 
spread of the new gospel of Spiritualism 
he had long entertained the hope of being 
able to accomplish a similar good work 
for this cause, or, if not solely for this, 
yet for the general advancement of free- 
dom and activity of thought in matters 
of deep human interest. Hence it was 



HERMAN SNOW 



75 



that he established at the central point of 
the great and growing Pacific slope, a 
small book store, where all such books 
could be found— of a radical and reform- 
atory character — as were not usually kept 
at the regular popular bcok establish- 
ments, including especially and mainly a 
full supply of the works on Spiritualism. 
The enterprise proved to be a success 
so far as an extended spread of liberal 
thought was concerned. In a few years 
connections had been made with inde- 
pendent thinkers in almost all parts of 
the regions of the Pacific, including the 
principal islands as far as Xew Zealand 
and Australia, and a regular supply of 
reading matter was thus sent over a vast 
extent of continent and island territory. 
It is believed thai no small proportion 
of the present activity in the cause of 
Spiritualism in this region may be traced 
in its origin to the seeds of thought 
scattered abroad from Snow's Liberal 
and Reform Book Store. But although 
a success in this the more important 
respect, yet in another direction the 
undertaking was not a success. It is true 
that, for a few years before the opening 
of the overland railroad and the largely 
improved mail and express connections 
with the coast, and also the equalization 
of the gold and currency circulation, a 
comfortable financial support was real- 
ized. But later, when conditions thus 
becani . orable, there folio 

decided loss, and that, too, with t: 

• of the closest economy, the wife 
being; the sole business assistant 

about twelve years of the n 
book store method, there was a change 
into a kind of book agency, carri 
mainly through post office and • • 
channels; and after about three years of 
this kind of effort, I i-nt of the 

business Mill remaining was p 
into the hands of Albert Morton, .md 
w.is eventually given up. 

In thesi- din irenl meth I >n, as 

also in various public meetings of a Spir- 
itualist and reform character, tin- faithful 
and efficient \\ it-- was a most imj 

helper; indeed, without her aid. 



daily in the close confinement of the 
book store, the business could not have 
been long kept up, as the health of the 
chief owner and manager, though greatly 
improved by the California climate, did 
not become adequate to a steady and 
close confinement to the city. 

It was needful for him to spend many 
hours of the last part of the day in an 
open-air garden life, which he had 
secured for himself in Oakland and Berke- 
ley. It was only in this way that he was 
enabled to enjoy those seasons of quiet, 
intuitive thought, so necessary to the 
advancement and usefulness of his higher 
spiritual capacities, which were from time 
to time called into activity. The most 
important work of this kind in which he 
became engaged at this time was a series 
of seances of a highly beneficial charac- 
ter, extending through a period of about 
eight years, of which that devoted and 
self-sacrificing medium, Anna I). Loucks, 
was the instrument employed by a band 
of beneficent spirits in a work of a some- 
what peculiar and highly important char- 
acter. Of these seances, Mrs. Snow was 
the appointed assistant and scribe, keep- 
ing a minute and regular re< 
that took place. From this record there 
was published a small volume, "Visions 
of the Beyond, by a Seer of To-day." 
Also, afterwards, in the various Spirit- 
ualist papers, enough to till anotla 

I about the same size. From these 

th- more interested in such 

: s may have been able to under* 

stand, to sonn- extent, tl ll and 

very marked character of woik thus 
engaged in, wholly as a labor ol lo 

unfortunate ones on the border land be. 

tween the two worlds. Mi 

the best part oi her life to tins kind of 

work, often amid much privation, 

ax' 5Ufl< : 

final return t<» tl ' die 

Subject of OUT Sket ll 

plished until : 

Snow resided in Boston and I 

In |u: 



7 6 



HERMAN SNOW 



passed by Mr. Snow in the State of New 
Jersey; but he finally gravitated to his 
native State, Vermont, where he has 
since found a home in the family of an 
old Iriend — a fellow laborer in the cause, 
who is an excellent farmer of the typical 
New England older. Here he expects 
to pass the remainder of his earthly days, 
near the spot, where he was born, and 
where the mortal part can finally be laid 
away among those of his parents and near 
relatives. Although now eighty-four 



years of age, Mr. Snow is in a reasonably 
vigorous condition both of body and 
mind. His sight is so .well preserved that 
he does all his writing and reading with- 
out glasses, and his hearing is also quite 
good. The accompanying portrait is 
from a photograph taken when the sub- 
ject was an octogenarian, and is a faithful 
representation of the grand old man 
whose life has been one unselfish labor 
of love along all lines of reformatory 
work and progressive thought. 




JULIA STEKLMAN-M1TCHELL. 



JULIA STEELMAN-MITCHELL 



Julia Steelman-Mitchell, whose face 
adorns this page, is one of OU* most 
earnest as well as succ< Bsful " Workers 
in the Vineyard.* ' Born of Scotch and 
Yankee parentage, in the fall of l s K 
at Cassadaga— what was then called 
Lilydale — N. Y. Coming to earth while 
the " Rochester knockings" were cie- 
atingso much excitement* had it pre- 
dicted of her, by her mother, who w:is 
one of the pioneer Spiritualists, that 
" Some day Julia would be a great me- 
dium." The honored mother— whose 

father, a < v > laker minister, lias heen a 
life 1.II-- guide of the Bubject of t his 
sketch— has lived t<> know her proph- 
ecy i- fulfilled. When quite young 
Mr-. Mitchell gave evidence of being a 
Bensitive, and would often return from 
alone trip through the deep forests of 
Wisconsin— where her parents had 
emigrated- and tell of the guide who 
always came to warn her of danger, to 
lead her \\ here the wild fruit was to ho 
found, or flowers the most prDfuse. oft 

at dusk, Bhe would he found perched 

in the top of a lofty tree, chatting to 
t in- distant clouds, touched with golden 
BUnsel —unlike other ehildn n, uneon- 
cerned thai nighl was near, she was 
seni , when twelve years of age, t<> < 'in- 
einnati, < > , for an education, remain- 
in- t here until lei- mai i luge. I luring 
t w .'hi \ \ (.mi - while real ing her t ; ve 
children she exercised her m idlum- 
ship in a ( piie i way, making 
many believers in the fad 
communion. 

A iter i he deal h of her belovi d bus- 
band and two beautiful daughters, our 
medium turned ber enl Ire at leu! ion to 
the furt her development of her p iwers, 
and Boon found herself on the public 
rostrum, as inspirational speaker and 



test medium. In this line her advance 
has heen very rapid. 

In 1893 Mrs. Bteelman became the 
wife of Carey Mitchell, a highly re- 
spected citiz 'ii ami druggist o( ( loving- 
ton, Kentucky. 

A- a speaker, Mrs, Mitchell i- mag- 
netic and attractive, and pre-, nts the 
Spiritual philosophy in Mich a clear 
and concise way that it ma> In- appre- 
hended by the child as well a- t he 
student. I [er phases of medium-hip 
are clairvoyance, clairaudience, trance 
and automatic writing. Describing 
spirits, hearing their names, or reading 
their messages— written in the air 
answering sealed letters, describing 
fac - and giving advice from Bealed 
photographs, giving incidents of pas! 
life and prophecies of the future, di- 
agnosing diseases ami reading charac- 
ter without Bight or contact, ai 
given before the public under stricl test 
condil ions. 

Beside her -pint relatives, this medi- 
um claim- as guides the ancient spirit 

Pakoh, Prof. Dayton, a phrenologist, 
Red River, one «.t t he early I udians, 
and an rtalian Count, who al times en- 
t ranees t he -p. aker and ex pie--, - i he 
heaiit ifui -em Iments in poel ic 
verse. M i - M itchell Is good aul hority 
on mediumship, and teachi - it fi oin h 
scientific standpoint. Bhe i- en 
in writing the history of her worl 
medium, w hioh promise i verj 

iutei esl ing \ olume; and hai 

plrll Woi Id to d< \ ote her life to 
hat teachi - man that " inn h 

■lily and inii-l |Hc\ ail I hi 

home w hicb it a bappj on< 

Belle\ ue, K \ d beautiful suburb of 

( iiiciniiat I, 



JOHN W. REYNOLDS, M. D, 



BY C. HALIFAX. 



John W. Reynold?, M. D., was born 
at North Chatham, N. Y., March 8, 
1839; the second son of Hiram and An- 
geline Conkling Reynolds, being of the 
seventh generation on the paternal and 
the fourth generation on the maternal 
side, born on American soil. 

After receiving the rudiments of ed- 
ucation at a public school, he devoted 
himself closely to home study, devel- 
oping a strong fondness for literature. 

In 1856 he moved to Albany, N. Y., 
and was married to jMiss Mary M. Ma- 
son, of that place in 1858. On the 
breaking out of the Great Rebellion, 
he enlisted in the 11th N. Y. Indepen- 
dent Battery of Light Artillery, with 
which he served his full term of enlist- 
ment from 1861 to 1864, being in all the 
campaigns of the Army of the Poto- 
mac, from the second Balls' Run to the 
siege of Petersburg. Shortly after the 
close of the war he removed with his 
family to Ashville, N. C, where he 
remained two years assisting in the 
work of reconstruction of the Govern- 
ment, and serving as an editorial writer 
on a Republican newspaper published 
at that place. 

In 1869 he moved his family to Chi- 
cago, the then new metropolis of the 
West, where he devoted his time to 
various kinds of literary work, but 
chiefly in the line of medical literature. 

In 1875 he graduated from the 
"Hahnemann Medical College of Chi- 
cago," and for the succeeding fifteen 
years was engaged in the practice of 
medicine and the revision and compil- 
ation of medical works. 



In 1887, his health failing to the ex- 
tent of disabling him from practice 
during the severe winter months, he 
moved to California, settling in Los 
Angeles. The soft climate and beauti- 
ful surroundings of his new home so 
charmed him that he resolved to make 
it his permanent place of residence. 
His character having a religious ten- 
* dency, he was in early life a member 
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 
but being by nature a logical thinker, 
and believing in the doctrine of mental 
as well as physical evolution he could 
not remain content with the self-con- 
tradictory theories of "Orthodox Reli- 
gion." Withdrawing from membership 
with any church, he awaited patiently 
the dictates of his own conclusions, 
which quickly led him to embrace the 
doctrines of Unitarianism. In the Au- 
tumn of 1891 he became a convert to 
Nationalism, clubs of which were at 
that time organized in Los Angeles for 
the propagation of social, economic, 
and political reform, upon principles 
advocated in Edward Bellamy's book, 
"Looking Backward." Subsequently, 
after careful investigation, he became 
a professed Spiritualist, in which belief 
he steadfastly remained unchanged till 
death. The following obituary pub- 
lished in "The Civic Review" of Aug. 
24, 1895, (a reform paper in Los An- 
geles) speaks his true character. 
"On the 21st of July, .1. \Y. Reynolds 
M. I)., of this city passed from this life 
to the spirit world. The deceased was 
a firm believer and consistent expoun- 
der of the philosophy of Modern Spir- 




J, \V. REYNOLDS, M. D. 



JOHN VV. REYNOLDS, M. D. 



79 



itualisra, and was also a practical 
example of true manhood in its fullest 
meaning, the moral force of which 
endeared him to all who became ac- 
quainted with him. His benevolent 
disposition was in harmony with the 
breadth of his spiritual understanding 
which to those who knew him inti- 
mately gave evidence of purest thought. 
His funeral on the 23d, at Rosedale 
Cemetery (.L. A.), was attended by a 
large number of devoted friends and 
honest admirers, who sincerely sympa- 
thize with the bereaved family." 

"Fold thou the ice-cold hands 
( 'aim on the pulseless breast, 

For the heat of the summer day is o'er, 
And sweet is our brother's rest." 

Almost as varied as the characteris- 
tics of individuals are their conceptions 
of any subject the relations of which 
are not immediately self-evident, and 



defined in such manner as to be 
unquestionable to the ordinary mind. 
The author of "The Creed of Spiritu- 
alists." J. W. Reynolds— with whom 
the writer had the happiness of being 
intimately acquainted— realizing this, 
and also aware of the tact that an 
exceedingly small minority of those 
who are not Spiritualists, have a cor- 
rect idea of what the philosophy of 
said belief consists, wrote the concise 
and self-explanatory definition en- 
titled, ''The Creed of Spiritualists," in 
order that, not only those not allied, 
but also many who claim allegiance to 
said philosophy, yet understand little 
concerning its real mission, may have 
a clear definition in relation to what is 
—notwithstanding frequent misappli- 
cation of its true nurposes — one of the 
grandest truths extant in the nine- 
teenth century. 



THE CREED OF SPIRITUALISTS. 



A- spii itualists, obtaining our knowl- 
edge from the spirit world, and from 

the accepted teachings of science, we 
believe: — 
That man is a spirit, associated with 

matter suited to his earthly u»e. 
That after tie- process called death, 

the BplrM i- -till clothed with matter, 

imt of a more ethereal form, correspoud- 
ing with and related to the conditions 
of his environment. 

That in thespirii world hi- Individu- 
ality i- retained and tin unfoldment 

of the mental, moral ami spiritual 

(acuities is continued Indefinitely 
by processes not unlike tin- manner 
pertaining to the development in 

this world. 



That the universe i- an aggregate of 
forces and materiality governed by in- 
herent laws; that these laws ale un- 

changeable, but varied in their direc- 
tion a- they aet and Pact upon each 
other, or as they are interrupted 0T 

modified to a limited extent by the will. 

We believe that man i- the hi-le Bl 

personality in all the universe, an. I as 
such will always continue through 

whatever mutations he may pa-- 01 

where! o he may be environed. 

Thai the origin of the universe is not 
fully known through sci< otlflo research, 
n.»r ha- u been generally revealed in 
it- entirety by tie- -pint world un 
doubtediy f r the purpose <•!" stimuuv 
ting investigation so that for all prac- 



8o 



THE CREED OF SPIRITUALISTS. 



'ticable purposes it may be said to be 
unknown, and without special bearing 
-on moral conduct. 

That as matter and spirit are in con- 
junction in man, so are they found 
together in their proper relations 
throughout the universe. 

That man is an animal who has pro- 
gressed from the lowest form of animal 
matter, up through the period of con- 
sciousness, to the estate of the higher 
moral and spiritual faculties, similarly 
with the laws of evolution as under- 
stood by science. 

The spirit world, as we are taught by 
its inhabitants, is both a locality and a 
state of existence, governed by natural 
laws, and is a fitting place for the dis- 
play of human powers in their fullness; 
and that it is divided into higher and 
lower spheres, suitable to the wants 
and for the better advancement of the 
spiritual forms of life in their relative 
degrees of progression. 

We believe that after leaving the 
present material body, man's moral 
status is the same as before the transi- 
tion, and that he enters upon a high or 
low estate according to his attainments 
in this world; that while the good he 
does receives compensation in inherent 
virtue and harmonious relations to 
man and nature, that also evil, for the 
same reason, creates a state incompati- 
ble with the true order of things, and 
therefore unhappiness. 

That the end and aim of life in the 
spirit world is progress in mental, 
moral and spiritual things, and to help 
the perverse or undeveloped spirits, 
whether in the spiritual world or in 
this, along the same lines of progress. 

We believe, from knowledge acquired 
through actual demonstration, that the 
inhabitants of the spirit world have 
the power as well as the disposition to 
return to this world and manifest 
themselves in various ways, from a 
simple mental suggestion to a visual 
appearance, and also to take possession 
and control of the minds of mortals to 
an extent within the limits of the or- 
ganization of the prison exercised. 



That the whole duty of man in his 
mortal life consists in taking the first 
steps in the attainment of all knowl- 
edge, and the perfection of his nature 
in a complete state of harmony with 
the fully unfolded spiritual state. 

That all duties logically growing out 
of or uredicated upon this primal duty 
should constitute the entire conduct of 
man, whether related to the moral, 
mental, or material. 

We believe that the existence of man 
in society naturally implies the con- 
struction of certain laws for harmoni- 
ous intercourse and government; that 
such rules of conduct have always been 
formulated by civilized people^ as show- 
ing the proper relations between man 
and man, and have been generally 
known as moral or ethical laws; that 
these laws have grown from simple 
principles to complex applications, ac- 
cording to the growth in civilization or 
extent of experience, and for the same 
reason admit of further extension or 
modification, so long as they do not 
destroy the effect of basic principles; 
and tiiat the first or cardinal essential 
of such laws is based on the well known 
axiomatic precept of doing unto others 
as we would that they do unto us. 

We are taught by the spirit world 
that good deeds, springing from a good 
heart, have a creative force in building- 
future states of abode; and that also, 
conversely, the sinful create their habi- 
tations; that the wicked must undo 
their evil deeds, here or hereafter, and 
attain a state of justice before they are 
prepared to enter upon the path which 
leads to spiritual progression and hap- 
piness. 

That as love is stronger than hate, 
and light more potent than darkness, 
all who are willing may, as most event- 
ually do, (though in sonic cases of evil- 
doers, through much suffering), attain 
a state of complete happiness. 

By virtue of similar qualities and co- 
ordinate conditions, mankind is a 
brotherhood, and in this life cannot 
escape the good or evil which contact 
implies. It is therefore necessary that 



THE CREED OF SPIRITUALS 



81 



this brotherhood be made an efficient 
means of progress and happiness by 
the more fortunate possessors of the 
mental, moral and material, helping 
others upwards toward a proper state 
of equality. 

In accordance with, and growing out 
of the foregoing principles, we affirm 
the following precepts: 

Every person is bound to recognize 
the possibilities of moral growth in 
humanity, whatever the development 
may beat present, and to interest him- 
Belf in all means tending towaids the 
the elevation of the race; believing, as 
we do, that whatever is left undone in 
this life must be performed in another 
sphere ami at the expense of an un- 
happy experience. 

Education of the mind and body 
should go hand in hand, as the body 
and spirit interact upon one another to 
the extent that an injury to me is an 
injury lo the other. All avoidable ig- 
norance ami disease i- sinful. 

It is asin to take human life, whether 
born or unborn. The independent hu- 
man spirit exists previous t<> the period 
of birth. 

Unnecessary cruelty toeithei man or 
animals i^ forbidden by the dictate- of 
humanity. 

Every individual is an integer of the 
community, and for this reason Bbould 
take pari in the government under 
which be or sin- may reside, by en- 
deavoring to procure laws with exacl 
justice to all, and special favors to none. 

Those who are governed Bbould also 
ernors, and tor this reason, men 
and women of suitable age should en- 
joy the rlgbl of suffrage and all privi- 
pertaining to citizenship. 

Every person is under a moral obli- 
gation to prevent poverty by working 
for the enactment «»f laws tor the jusl 
distribution of tic products of labor, 



and also to help the deserving to the 

extent of his mean-. 

Idleness is asin against t be individu- 
al and the community. 

We believe that it is the duty of gov- 
ernments and of society to oppose 
tyranny of all kinds— by legal means 
if practicable — if not, then by force; 
that all iucoriigibles should be re- 
strained by 'awful means; and that 
where criminals are deprived of liberty 
as the enemies of society, or even B8 
the exponents of society, they should 
at the same time be made the BUbjects 
of an education that will tend to turn 
them from evil courses. Also we be- 
lieve that where individuals are threat- 
ened with loss of life, property or just 
rights, resistance is proper, but by con- 
stituted means in every case where 

possible. 

Marriage without reciprocal love i< a 
sin, entailing evil consequences on the 
present and future generations, ami in 
both worlds. Marriage of all subjects 
of hereditary disease, or the apparent ly 
incurably Vicious, cannot be counte- 
nanced by those who would make the 
world better. Divorce is not to be 
effected for light causes, or for evils 
which may be remedied in time; but 
for jusl '-an--' ia :is much a duty as 

mall 1 

Prostitution i> an evil thai bears 

equally upon bol 1 

Truth, from whatever source, Bbould 

ught by all; and untruthfulness, 

in either t nought, word or deed, Bhould 

be avoidi d. 

Faith in the triumph of . 
evil, and in tb<- possibilities of uplifting 
the vicious hope for the future, and 
courage to do right, and charity t" nil, 
are virt ues to i,.- prize l and pracl Iced 
.). VV. Ri vnoi us, M D 
1 \ • . les, < .til' 



PROF. JOSEPH RODES BUCHANAN. 



Dr. Joseph Rodes Buchanan is not 
a man to win the cotemporary fame that 
he deserves, for he has not been in the 
pursuit of fame but of truth, and con- 
sequently is destined to be more honored 
after his death than while living. 

The development of psychometry is 
enough to immortalize him, but the 
discovery of the functions of the brain, and 
of the complex relations of soul, brain, 
and body, is a far greater achievement, 
which will win the gratitude of posterity. 
He has been an original genius, excelling 
in whatever he undertook, and has kept 
steadily in view as the aim of his life the 
improvement of humanity. 

He was born in Frankfort, Ky., De- 
cember ii, 1814. His father was a 
physician, editor, and author. At the 
age of seven to eight he was studying 
mathematics, history, and science. At 
the age of thirteen he was studying law. 
At the age of fifteen, his father being 
dead, he was earning his living in a 
printing office. At eighteen he became 
a teacher, and was introduced by Henry 
Clay and President Peers, of Transyl- 
vania University, to their friends. At 
twenty he began the study of medicine 
in the Transylvania College. At twenty- 
one he became a public lecturer on the 
brain, and devoted himself to solving the 
problems of the constitution of man. 
He devoted seven years to this task, at 
the end of which time, after traveling 
through the Southern and Western States, 
dissecting the brain and examining many 
thousands of heads and skulls, he dis- 
covered and demonstrated the psychic 
and physiological functions of the brain 
by direct experiment. 



It is difficult in a concise sketch to 
convey a complete knowledge of Dr. 
Buchanan to one who has not read his 
writings, for he differs widely from all 
other eminent men of the century, and 
to understand him intellectually one must 
know something of the new world of 
knowledge which he has introduced; for 
it is only by becoming acquainted with 
the grand results of his labors that we 
can realize the intellectual power which 
produces such results, and the profound 
devotion to duty that has inspired him to 
turn away from the paths that lead such 
men to wealth and honor, and devote 
himself to original discovery and univer- 
sal reform in all things that relate to the 
welfare of man. 

Perhaps the best description is that 
given by our most brilliant magazine, the 
Arena, which calls him "a many-sided 
man of genius," and a "really great 
man." 

His eloquent and forceful poem in the 
Arena, on "Divine Progress," in oppo- 
sition to a pessimistic bishop, his pro- 
found and novel views of education in the 
same magazine, and in his much-admired 
"New Education;" his radical discussions 
of great social questions — his novel re- 
searches in electricity, — his ten years' 
labor as a medical professor in Cincin. 
nati at the head of a successful college 
for the radical reformation of the medical 
profession, sustaining principles which 
are now followed by eight or ten thou- 
sand physicians,— his original presenta- 
tion in 1847 in an essay of great power r 
of the grand question of the nationaliza- 
tion of land, which he was the first to 
introduce, and which is now one of the 




JOSKPH R.ODES BUCHANAN. 



PROF. JOSEPH RODE3 BUCHANAN. 



S3 



greatest questions among civilized na- 
tions, — and his publication of eight 
volumes of "Buchanan's Journal of 
Man," devoted to the great themes of 
philosophy and science, illustrate the 
great scope of his labors; and as if to 
complete the illustration of his versatility, 
he engaged for three years in managing 
the politics of Kentucky, as chairman of 
the Central Committee, when the profes- 
sional politicians seemed to be paralyzed 
by the difficulties of the situation, with 
such success that he might have become 
Governor of the State il he had not de- 
clined the popular call for his candidacy. 
His ablest associate in this committee, 
Dr. Xorvin Green, afterwards became 
President of the Western Union Tele- 
graph Co., and his most resolute support- 
er was Gov. Charles Wicklifte, but the 
other leaders in politics left him to act 
alone. 

But all these achievements are regarded 
by Dr. Buchanan and his most en- 
lightened friends as a mere by-play in 
reference to the great purposes anci 
achievements of his life, — the task which 
he assumed in 1835, and in which he is 
still as earnestly engaged as ever, after 
the lapse of almost sixty ye us, with un- 
flagging energy and inextinguishable 
hope and philanthropy. 

It seems rather a romantic story that 
at that early period, before our modern 
marvels and profoundly agitating ques- 
tions had (Mine into existence, a young 
Kentuckian, thrown on his own resources 

in boyhood, should have assumed the 
gigantic task of completing the unfinished 

e ol physiology, placing m< 
science on a new basis, subverting all 

that the world has (ailed philosophy, i<\ - 

olutionizing religion, education and so- 
ciology, and developing the science oi 

11I until it 1m-< omes a royal road to 
unlimited wisdom. 

Such was the subline- undertaking of 
Dr. Buchanan in his early manhood, 
which he is now engaged in 1 onsumma- 
ting. It is not to be supposed that he 

foresaw all this m [835. He Simply 

determined that he would not submit to 



the ignorance of the medical colleges 
concerning the brain, which left the con- 
stitution of man an impenetrable mystery. 
He spent seven years in the invest:. 
of the brain, and succeeded far beyond 
his own expectations by the discovery of 
a new and simple method of exploring all 
parts of the brain. This was certainly 
the greatest discoveiy in the annals of 
physiology,— the discovery that the func- 
tion of every portion of the human brain 
could be ascertained, accurately located 
and described, — thus revealing all the 
psychic powers of man, their relation to 
each other, and their relation to the body 
and their wonderful interaction of the 
psychic and physiological faculties — thus 
solving the great mystery of the age, 
which, before the investigations of Dr. 
Buchanan, no one had ever attempted to 
explore. It was well said by the Demo- 
cratic Review^ a leading magazine in its 
day, that the discoveries (in reference to 
the brain and spinal cord) "of Gall, 
Spurzheim and Sir Charles Bell, dwindle 
into insignificance'' in comparison with 
this great discovery of \h-. Buchanan. 

Thus was revealed and established the 
science of anthropology— the absolute 
and complete science of man-— the reve- 
lation of which completes the empire of 
science, for there remains no othei 

held to be explored. We may say with 
Berkeley, "Time's noblest offspring is 

the last." It has not been Urged upon 

the public by I >r. Buchanan. 1 le has 
waited for the public to come to him; but 

it has been indorsed by every Committee 

of investigation, and by the Stat< 1 fniver- 
sity ol Indiana, and was for ten years the 
re< uguized philosophy of the U ading 
il college oi Cincinn iti. 
< »ui limited space d< >es not permit u-- 
to show the benevolent applicatii 
anthropoh >gi< al s< l< n< e in the reform ol 
educ: it ion, sociology, and all departments 

of philosophy. Suffice it to WJ th.it it 

demands and shows how to n alize .» 
ondition than the world 

sown, 1 ii-- "S3 tern 

print, 

but will soon be sip 1 eed< d b; 



s 4 



PROF. JOSEPH RODES BUCHANAN 



volume entitled "The New World of 
Science." 

The two most unique and striking de- 
partments of Anthropology are Sarcog- 
nomy, which relates to the body, showing 
all its relations to psychic life, and the 
new method of treating all diseases by 
magnetic and electric treatment of all 
parts of the body, and the divine science 
of the soul or the science of the divinity 
in man, which he has called Psychometry, 
though that word belongs to the methods 
by which the divinity in man is revealed. 

Sarcognomy has many relations to art 
which have not been published. Its rela- 
tion to the treatment of disease is shown 
in the imperial volume called "Thera- 
peutic Sarcognomy, and this science is 
practically taught by Dr. Buchanan to 
his pupils every year in May and June in 
the College of Therapeutics. 

Psychometry or the science of the di- 
vinity in man gives us a grand illumina- 
tion of all the sciences, while enlarging 
their scope and correcting their errors. 
Physiology, Psychology, Geology, Mate- 
ria Medica, Natural History, Political 
History Biography, Archeology, Paleon- 
tology and Astronomy are to become 
new sciences under the transforming 
power of Psychometry. 

Religion, too. will be thoroughly revo- 
lutionized and rationalized by Psychom- 
etry, not only by making Spiritualism a 
positive science, with a solid foundation 
in physiology and anatomy, but by reveal- 
ing the history of religions, showing their 
comparative merit and how well they 
correspond with the divine laws of life 
and the conditions of heaven, and how 
well they were revealed in the life of 
Jesus. When the discoveries in this 
direction shall be published it will have a 
startling effect upon the world. 

This is a very concise and incomplete 
statement of the achievements of Dr. 
Buchanan, which will interest future cen- 
turies. They have been honored by the 
most advanced thinkers— by such men as 
Prof. Denton, Bobert Dale Owen, Pies. 
Wylie, Rev. Dr. Strickland. Prof. Gat- 
chell, Prof. Caldwell, Judge Rowan, the 



eloquent Senator of Kentucky, the poet, 
Wm. Cullen Bryant, Rev. J. Pierpont. 
Theodore Parker, Prof. Winterburn, B. 
O. Flower, and many others in foreign 
countries as well as in the United States. 
He presents these discoveries with undi- 
minished ardor, notwithstanding his great 
age, and, as th'j Aransas City Journal 
well said, "he is not only the most philo- 
sophic of orators, but the most eloquent 
of philosophers.'' Editors of medical 
journals have spoken of him as the 
"highest living authority on the psychic 
functions of the brain." and many who 
are familiar with spiritual sciences regard 
him as the inspired leader of the great 
movement from ancient barbarism, super- 
stition and ignorance to the enlightened 
centuries in which wisdom and justice 
shall rule the world. 

Since the publication of his discoveries, 
embodying the complete science of man, 
("System of Anthropology," "New Edu- 
cation," "Manual of Psychometry," and 
'Therapeutic Sarcognomy"), which re- 
veal the organization and joint action of 
the soul, brain and body, and the special 
localities in which all the psychic and 
vital powers reside, and the mode ot 
their intercourse with the higher world ? 
as well as the basis of all medical philos- 
ophy and therapeutic treatment, with the 
practicability of receiving that treatment 
from the spirit world, and the iurther 
possibility of bringing to earth all the 
wisdom and love of higher worlds for 
human redemption. Dr. Buchanan has 
been greatly hindered in the prosecution 
of his great undertaking by exposure to 
malaria for two years and by contact with 
patients. This has hindered the prepara- 
tion of his long promised works. 

He is now preparing as actively as 
possible the full exposition of his discov- 
eries under the title of "The New World 
of Science," embodying a new physiology 
and psychology, an exposition of the 
unknown regions of the brain, and ot life 
in the spirit world, with the applications 
of the new science to human lite. 

Previous to this, however, he proposes 
to demonstrate the power of the spiritual 



PROF. JOSEPH RODES BUCHANAN 



faculties of man in connection with the 
spiritual world, to reveal not only modern 
sciences, such as physiology and geology, 
but the entire history of the human race 
and of terrestrial evolution. 

The most important work now, which 
humanity has so long needed, is a revela- 
tion of the errors of what are called 
religious systems, and the source of the 
superstitions which from the very dawn 
of civilization have obstructed progress 
and prolonged ancient barbarisms, and 
still stand in the way of progress. 

This work will show that there is but 
one divine religion for humanity — the 
religion sanctioned by science and not 
only endorsed but actively taught from 
the spirit world— the religion of love and 
justice. 

This religion, when it made its first 
appearance with great spiritual power at 
Jerusalem, was speedily crushed by the 
murder of those who introduced it; and 
after their death, the records of the life 
of Jesus and the Apostles were falsified 
and adulterated with forgeries, to make a 



superstitious basis for the Papal hier- 
archy. None have any idea of the sim- 
plicity, purity and rationality of til 
evolution of spiritual religion. The in- 
vestigations of Dr. Buchanan enable him 
to present the real instead of the fictitious 
lives of Jesus and the Apostles, and to 
expurgate from the gospels ami epistles 
the mass of forgeries upon which ecclesi- 
asticism has been built — sweeping away 
the ancient fictions of the trinity, the 
eucharist, the devil, the hell, the fictitious 
miracles, and the endorsement of the 
Old Testament, and vindicating the lofty 
character oi those who attempted but so 
unsuccessfully to introduce a pure reli- 
gion, which mankind were unwilling to 
receive — the religion of the spirit world. 
Dr. Buchanan proposes to present this 
revelation of a lost history with evidences 
that will compel its acceptance by 
advanced thinkers, and shake I he founda- 
tions throughout the world of the e< 
astical despotism under which mankind 
have so long suffered. 







J. M. PEEBLES, A. M., M. D 



BY PROF. E. WHIPPLE. 



The subject of this sketch — so well 
known in this country, England and 
the Orient, as author, lecturer, traveler 
and physician — was born down by the 
foothills of the Green Mountains of 
Vermont, town of Whitingham, March 
123d, 1822, a few minutes past midnight, 
while the sign of the "Archer" was 
riding in the eastern horizon. His pa- 
ternal lineage was Scotch, while on the 
maternal side he was derived from 
English ancestors. Peebles is a Scotch 
name, traceable back to the seventh 
century. In the eleventh century the 
name was one of the most distin- 
guished in the north of Europe. Scotch 
blood and Scotch energy have contrib- 
uted important chapters to the history 
of the English-speaking peoples. Dr. 
R. R. Peebles; of Hempstead, Texas, a 
relative of the Doctor, and a distin- 
guished surgeon and physician, writing 
the subject of this sketch, said: "The 
Peebles clan, Scotch to the core, all 
run to doctors or preachers." The grim 
old "Peebles Castle," south of Edin- 
burg, near the ancient-looking town of 
Peebles, on the Tweed, nearly disap- 
peared about the beginning of the 
eighteenth century. It has since been 
repaired. The Encyclopedia Brittani- 
<?a, vol. viii, page 452, says: "Peebles 
was, at a very early period, a favorite 
residence of Scottish kings, who came 
to hunt in the neighboring Ettrick for- 
est." Walter Scott frequently men- 
tions Peebles in his works, and espe- 
cially describes the "energy and im- 
petuosity of .John Peebles, the Earl." 
The ancient cross of IV chics now occu- 
pies the centre of the courtyard of the 
institution "Queensbury Lodge," made 
famous by the late Dr. Robert Cham- 
bers. 



His earliest school days were spent 
in the "little red school house," a 
mile away from home, round by the 
pond. In boyhood he was an invete- 
rate stutterer, of which slight traces 
may to this day be occasionally de- 
tected, especially when he becomes ve- 
hement in the denunciation of human 
oppressions. As a youth he was ex- 
tremely sensitive, scrupulously consci- 
entious, yet overflowing with exuber- 
ance, and sometimes given to mischiev- 
ous pranks, which often brought him 
in contact with the ferrule of his 
teacher in school. He was a student 
in Oxford academy, Chenango, Co., 
New York, which has just celebrated 
its centennial anniversary. 

He taught his first school at 17, in 
Pitcher, N. Y., boarding with an old 
Baptist deacon, whose prayers and 
worldly practice he found did not 
strictly coincide. While teaching this 
first school, there broke out in his 
neighborhood an epidemic — very com- 
mon in those days— called a "Revival." 
Some of his friends got religion. James 
was strongly importuned. The meek- 
eyed girls besieged him, putting their 
arms round his neck, pleading so elo- 
quently that he was induced to try the 
receipt; and a fat elder, who laui hands 
upon him, while the crowd sobbed in 
magnetic-sympathy, completed his dis- 
comfiture. He joined his shouts to the 
general chorus, and it was proclaimed 
that another soul was saved. It was 
not long, however, before his sober 
senses resumed sway, and as the fat, 
long-faced elder turned out a rascal as 
well as a hypocrite, he learned here a 
sad lesson, which has remained fixed 
in his memory. 









J M. PKBBLBS M. D. 



J. M. PEEBLES, A. M., M. D. 



8? 



EARLY MENTAL HABITS AND RE- 
LIGIOUS BIAS. 

Dr. Peebles inherited a lofty ideal of 
religion and a supreme love of truth. 
But in his early educational training 
the tares grew up with the pure grain. 
His mental pabulum was not always a 
wholesome diet, and so he early found 
it necessary to sift his conclusions, often 
throwing overboard some of the true 
wheat he had garnered together with 
the rubbish. In later years he has 
regained some of this pure grain which 
he rejected in the preliminary stages of 
thinking. The early reading of Hume, 
Paine, Voltaire, Sweden borg, Emerson, 
Parker and similar spirits, inclined 
him to a sort of atheistic in fidelity, 
but from this he was rescued by the 
sober influence of Universalist minis- 
ters, and in this denomination he was 
admitted as a preacher in 18-44. He 
soon found the Universalist creed too 
circumscribed. It had a fixed creed, 
and sonic of its preachers were as big- 
oted as the Calvanists. lie voluntrily 
h'll the sect, warmly endorsed by his 
last parish. Then Spiritualism came, 
with its phenomena, to further unsettle 
him. 

Theologically inclined, he married a 

deacon's daughter, Miss M. M. Con key 

of Canton, New York, taking Oliver 

Goldsmith's dictum as his guide: " I 

my wife as -he did her wedding 

gown, for qualities that would wear 
well." 

[nterested in both medicine and the- 
ology, he decided to go West, At 

Cleveland, Ohio, Ik- fell in with the 

Davenports, receiving Bome v< ry -1 1 Ik- 
ing and Btartling phenominal evidence 
<>f the truth of Spiritualism Prom 

this time In- has been prominently 

Identified with the can-.' of Spiritual- 
ism. 

Di-. Peebles has always been charac- 
terized for his genial manners, bis 
maguetic presence, his hatred of shams, 
his broad ami universal tolerance of 
opinion ami expression, hissympathles 
for the downtrodden, in- entire free- 



dom from race prejudice, his childlike 
spontaniety, and for the unstudied elo- 
quence with which he has ever pleaded 
the cause of the oppressed and down- 
trodden of every land. Nor dees he 
belie his public teachings, as one ob- 
serves his daily walk in the private 
relations of life. The writer has per- 
sonally known him for over thirty 
years. He has lived in his home, 
worked with him, been on terms of 
closest intimacy with him, and he has 
invariably found him the sam.- genial, 
magnanimous, warm-hearted friend 
that he appears to be before the public. 
His presence in the private home is a 
synonym for sunshine. The writer has 
always found him scrupulously jusl in 
all his business dealings. To the spon- 
taneity and joyousness of the little 
child he adds the nobleness and dignity 
of true manhood. 

HIS CONNECTION WITH SPIRIT! \l.l-M. 

Dr. Peebles' earliest public work in 
the cause of Spiritualism was in the 
Free Church, at Battle Creek. Mich. 
Here he labored as its esteemed p 
about six years. He likevi Ise gave 
many evening lectures in " all the 
country round about."' While in Bat- 
tle (.'reek he was b rough! in contact 

with .Mr. E. 0. Dunn, who afterwards 
accompanied bim in some of bis trav- 
els, and became bis medium Of com- 
munication with the spiril world. 
a lecturing tour of eighteen months 

in California after the breaking 

out of the civil w ar gave him obauge 

ami rest, and be returned to hi- posl in 

Battle Creek, improved in health and 

enlarged in hi- psychic and spiritual 

gifts. All these many years be lias 

mai atained his own rlghl of judgment 

He listened to all thai waa given, 

weighed w hit n as said In th< 

ami rejected \\ bal be w as not able to 

rat lonalize. I [e had Ills diffic 

like 1 be real of us, from disord I 

undeveloped spirits, and goin 

with t hat uecessai y pit niug, 

be apple - sound pracl leal 01 iiumon 



J. M. PEEBLES, A. M. 3 M. D. 



sense to the solution of this class of 
phenomena. 

Throughout the chief cities in the 
United States, and in thousands of vil- 
lages and country districts, he has elo- 
quently presented the cause of Spirit- 
ualism from the public rostrum; and 
among all the English-speaking peo- 
ples in the Old World his earnest voice 
has been heard in behalf of spirit com- 
munion and general reform. 

Since the year 1868, Dr. Peebles has 
been engaged in almost incessant med- 
ical and literary labor, in addition to 
his platform work. About this time 
he became the western editor of the 
Banner of Light. His editorials in 
that paper were so brilliantand popular 
that its circulation became greatly ex- 
tended during the four years Dr. Pee- 
bles was connected with it. These 
editorials, for earnestness, warmth and 
brilliancy, bore a strong resemblance 
to Theodore Tilton's leaders in the 
New York Independent, when he was 
its leading editor. While associate ed- 
itor of the Banner, he compiled the 
" Spiritual Harp," in conjunction with 
E. H. Bailey and J. V. Barrett, and 
later wrote his "Seers of the Ages." 
Resigning his position on the Banner 
of Light after four years' active service, 
he became editor of The Spiritual Uni- 
verse, a radical paper, devoted to free 
thought and Spiritualism. His labor 
on this fully sustained his brilliant 
reputation as an editorial writer. Sub- 
sequently he became editor-in-chief of 
The American, Sj>i ritualist, published 
in Cleveland, Ohio. 

Among the teachings Dr. Peebles has 
received from the "Summer Land," he 
sets a very high value upon those which 
were addressed to him from the arisen 
Aaron Nite, through the mediumshipof 
Mr. Dunn. He regards him as a ven- 
erable and very wise spirit, with whom 
he was able to converse almost as one 
friend speaks to another, face to face; 
who has cleared up for him many 
knotty problems, and from whom he 
lias received much wise counsel and 
advice. 



His regard for humanity rises far 
above the local limitations of home and 
the ties of blood, beyond the limita- 
tions of country and race, and becomes 
universal in its expression : 

"All men are my brothers; aV wo- 
men my sisters; all children .my chil- 
dren, and I am every mortal's child. 
I have an interest in every child born 
into earih life. Its destiny is linked 
with mine. * * My country is the 
Universe; my home, the World; nuy 
religion, to do good; my rest, wherever 
a human heart beats in harmony with 
mine, and my desire is to extend a 
brother's helping hand to earth's mil- 
lions, speaking in tones as sweet as 
angels use; thus kindling in their 
breasts the fires of inspiration; and aid- 
ing them up the steeps of Mount 1 dis- 
cipline, whose summit is bathed in the 
mellowed light of Heaven." * 

Hundreds of mediums are endeared 
to him — mediums whom he has 
strengthened and cheered when their 
path was strewn with boulders. His 
earnings have generally been large, 
but he has seldom laid by anything 
beyond current expenses. He is gen- 
erous to a fault. He constantly ex- 
pends on the unfortunate and in en- 
terprises of public improvement. 

Young speakers have been in the 
habit of following him from place to 
place, aspiring to emulate him as au 
example of public teaching. 

Cepbas B. Lynn, in a private letter 
to a friend, pays the following tribute : 

"His kindness toward young media, 
more especially those struggling for 
usefulness on the rostrum, has been a 
marked feature in his career as a 
teacher of the Spiritual Philosophy. 
In fact, he is looked up to with the 
utmost reverence, and loved most ten- 
derly by scores of young lecturers in 
our ranks. I could name tenor twelve 
who acknowledge that Doctor Peebles 
has been the leading instrumentality 
in advancing them into active public 
labors. Blessings upon him for this! 
I gladly affirm my indebtedness to him 
in this respect; and my prayer is, that 



J. M. PEEBLES A. M., M. I). 



89 



the Spiritualists of the country will 
see the wisdom of placing funds at his 
command, so that through him young 
media suited for the Spiritual ministry 
may receive that discipline and culture 
so essential to success." 

The Doctor has a strong sense of the 
ludicrous, while his lectures and cor- 
respondence often abound in witti- 
cisms. He is naturally controversial, 
and in discussions is pointed and 
incisive. It seemingly fattens him to 
corner a narrow-minded sectarian. He 
delights in syllogistic reasonings. He 
hates bigotry. He is fearless in de- 
nouncing the wrong. He despises 
shams; and his irony and invective are 
anything but comforting to an oppo- 
nent. And yet, under this flame of 
scorching sarcasm there is a heart of 
kindness and tones of the most tolerant 
tenderness. Nor does he turn a deaf 
ear to the plaintive murmurs of sad 
hearts. "Our heart," he wrote, 'is 
brimming with songs to-night. We 
would sing them to the sad. Take my 
hand, weary pilgrim; it is a brother's. 
Off with all masks! Away with reserve! 
Tell me of life's uneven voyage— its 
blighted hopes, piercing thorns, trials, 
losses, defeats, struggles and disap- 
point men ts. There is profit in confes- 
sions that bare soul to soul. Neither of 
us has secrets. All lives are unrolled 
scrolls, open to spirit inspection. * * * 
Could you afford to lose the rusted 
links, even, from the chain that con- 
nects past and present? Has 
thy life been Stained and blemished V 

None are perfect. The best have their 

failings. Despair DOt. The good of 
earth ;iii<l the sainted in the heavens 
delight to aid the aspirat ional. 'Come 
unto ine,' said .Jesus. The angels eeiio 

the song, 'Come, Come up higher.' 

Look not to the past, with painful 
regrets. In ascending a ladder, tic- 
wise never look down to tic- broken 
rounds * * * A mother's prayers 
pier 3e dungeon bars. The philanthro- 
pist hopes for all, loves all, has laith 
in all." * * * Again: 



"Death, a divine method, is sleep's 
gentler brother. 

"Death, a severing of the physical 
and spiritual co-partnership, is lit 
holiest prophecy of future progress. 

"D --at his the rusted key that unlocks 
the shining portals of immortality. 

"Death is the glittering hyphen-link 
that conjoins the two worlds of con- 
scious existence and holy communion. 

"Death is like opening rosebuds, that, 
in ever-recurring Junes climb up on 
garden walls, and, blooming, shed their 
sweetest fragrance upon the other 
side." :: * * 

TRAVELS. 

Dr. Peebles has been a great traveler. 
The wonders of nature and art in all 
parts of the world have ever possessed 
a strange fascination for him. From 
his youth his soul had longed to tread 
the soil of classic and oriental lands. 
Hearingof his design, friends in Wash- 
ington and Philadelphia procured for 
liirri a consulate to Trebisond, Asia. 
Heat once sailed for England, whence, 
by way of France, Italy and Greece, he 
made his way to Turkey. After a brief 
season he resigned his official position 
Routine cramped him, and the red 
tape of diplomatic life was as uncon- 
genial as the formalism of ministerial 
office. Then followed a long tour 
through Asia Minor and Southern Ell 
rope — Naples, Rome, Florence, and .-<■ 
back to London, where, in the early 

pari of 1870, he set to work with his 

usual promptitude and energy in <>r 

ganizing a series of Sunday meeting! 
at the Cavendish Rooms. In this work 
he co-operated with Mr. Burns. These 
services continued several months, 
chit fly through the vigorous exertions 
of Mr. Burns. Besides bli lectures in 
London, he penetrated t<> various parte 
of England and Scotland, drawing 
large and Interested and tenet - wh< 

er be Went. 

[aspired by s true missionary seat, 
be was the first to 6N II 1 
lectures upon Spiritualism In kusti 1 



9° 



J. M. PEEBLES A. M., M. D. 



The opposition through the press and 
pulpit was bitter, but the course contin- 
uing several months, backed by Dr. 
Terry, of the Harbinger of Light, 
proved a great success. Upon leaving, 
a congratulatory address was delivered, 
and a purse of a hundred guineas pre- 
sented the doctor. 

In this first tour of foreign travel, 
Dr. Peebles only half completed the 
circuit of the globe. His intense de- 
sire to visit the far Eastern Orient re- 
mained undiminished. So towards the 
end of 1872 he again set out, this time 
for a voyage round the world, going 
westward by way of California, the 
islands of the South Sea, Australia, 
New Zealand, China, Malacca, India, 
Arabia, Egypt, the Holy Land, Tur. 
key, and so through Europe to London 
once again. From this voyage he 
brought home with him a large col- 
lection of relics and specimens, illus- 
trating the habits, manners, religion 
and general civilization of the various 
peoples among whom he traveled. But 
for what he saw and what he did, 
what he gathered in the way of practi- 
cal knowledge, and what he suffered, 
the reader must be referred to his book, 
"Around the World." Summing up 
his experiences he writes of this year- 
and-a-half 's pilgrimage:— 

"It seems hardly possible that I have 
seen the black aborigines of Australia, 
and the tatooed Maoris of New Zealand ; 
that I have witnessed the Hindoos burn- 
ing their dead, and the Persians pray- 
ing in their tire-temples; that I have 
gazed upon the frowning peak of Mount 
Sinai, and stood upon the summit of 
Cheops; that I have conversed upon an- 
tiquity and religious subjects with Chi- 
namen in Canton, Brahmins in Bengal, 
Parsees in Bombay, Arabs in Arabia, 
descendants of Pyramid-builders in 
Cairo, and learned rabbis in Jerusalem; 
that I have seen Greece in her shattered 
splendor, Albania with its castled 
crags, the Cyclades with their mantling 
traditions, and the Alps impearled and 



capped in crystal. * * * It is diffl^ 
cult to realize that I have been in 
Bethlehem, walked in the garden of 
Gethsemaue, stood upon Mount Ol- 
ives, bathed in the Jordan, breathed 
the air that fanned the face of Jesus, 
when weary from travel under the 
burning skies of Palestine, looked upon 
the same hills and valleys clothed in 
Syrian spring-time with imperial lilies, 
and had the same images daguerreo- 
typed on my brain that impressed the 
sensitive soul of the 'Man of Sorrows' — 
the Teacher sent from God." 

Dr. Peebles' second voyage round the 
world was undertaken in the spring of 
1877. In this voyage he also sailed 
westward, visiting the same countries 
as on his previous travels, but in addi- 
tion spending considerable time in 
South Africa, Napaul and Ceylon. 
In South Africa he gave considerable 
attention to the ostrich farms, and was 
the first to suggest the feasibility of 
this branch of industry in Southern 
California. 

During his second tour round the 
world, he devoted a large portion of 
his time to a study of psychological and 
occult phenomena in the Orient, as 
also the mental and physical pathology 
manifest in the peoples of the far 
East — chronic diseases in China, the 
prevailing fevers in India and Ceylon, 
leprosy in Madras, Bangalore and Kil- 
pauk, and he further visited the more 
prominent hospitals in many Oiiental 
countries. 

In addition to the large volume enti- 
tled "Around the World," the Doctor 
has in MS. the rich results of his more 
reeent voyage, and purposes to com- 
plete the data for a full volume by a 
third voyage round the world at no 
distant day. 

TJp^n his return to Boston from his 
last voyage, the editors of the Banner 
of Light gave him a magnificent re- 
ception at one of the leading hotels, on 
which occasion the present able editor 
of the Banner — John W. Day— ren 



T. M. PEEBLES A. M., M. D. 



dered a beautiful original poena in 
honor of Mr. Peebles' return from his 
long travels. 

PROFESSIONAL AND OFFICIAL LIFE. 

It seems an unusual share of public 
honors have been showered upon the 
Doctor, but he has richly earned them 
all. In 1868 he accompanied and partici- 
pated in the deliberations of the "North- 
west Congressional Indian Peace Com- 
mission," appointed by Congress, and 
constituted of Gens. Harney. Sherman, 
Sheridan, Sanborn and Col. Tappan. 

In 1881 he was appointed "Representa- 
tive abroad" by the National Arbitration 
League of the United States of America, 
to meet the "International Peace Con- 
gress of Europe," in the interests ot 
arbitration as against war. He continues 
to work with tongue and pen against war; 
againstthe infliction of capital punishment; 
against vaccination; against class medical 
legislation; against intemperance, and in 
favor of woman suffrage and her full 
equality with man. 

He is a fellow of the Academy of 
Science, New Orleans, La. A fellow of 
the Anthropological Society, London. 
An honorary member and fellow of the 
Psychological Association, London. A 
fellow of the Academy of Arts and 
Sciences, Naples, Italy. A fellow of the 
American Akademe, Jacksonville. III. A 
member of the International Climatolog- 
ical Association. A member of the 
National Hygiene and Health Associa- 
tion. A member of the American Insti- 
tute of Christian Philosophy. A member 
of the Victoria Institute and Philosoph- 
ical Society of Great Britain. 

These honors and fellowships wen- 
conferred upon the Doctor without his 
asking, and hence are the more highly 
appreciated. To this day he does not 
know who in London presented his name 
to the Victoria Institute for election, 
the members of which are said to consti- 
tute the most learned body ol men in the 
world. 
He has also become distinguished in 

his more recent medical pra< lit r, and 



lectures on Physiology and Hygiene 
before the medical colleges of Cincinnati 
and Los Angeles. He commenced the 
reading and study of medicine with Dr. 
O. Martin, one of the most distinguished 
physicians and surgeons in the New 
England States. His early medical edu- 
cation was "regular" or "allopathic." 
After attending the prescribed course of 
medical lectures, he graduated from the 
Philadelphia (Pa.) University of Medicine 
and Surgery, and registered at once in 
Philadelphia as a practicing physician. 
He also received a certificate of practice 
from the University Hospital of Phila- 
delphia, and a number of years later a 
diploma from the Philadelphia Polyclinic, 
college for graduates only. He holds 
several honorary diplomas and is a 
member of State and national medical 
associations. 

In October, 1892, the Doctor purchased 
the fine sanitarium at the West End in 
San Antonia, Texas. Here he built up 
a fine medical practice, and won some 
important legal battles over the local 
physicians, who were jealous of his 
success and rapidly growing influence in 
that section. On the night of Feb. 26th, 
1894, while the Doctor was absent, this 
fine sanitarium was totally destroyed by 
fire, together with the large library which 
he had been collecting all hi* life. The 
property was insured tor about one-third 
its real value. 

PRESENT 1 OCATK ».\ am. i kBORS. 

With the remnant r I from this 

property in Ban Antonio, the 1 
came t-> tin- genial climate and beautiful 
location of San Diego, in Southern Cali- 
fornia, arriving in March, 
following August he purchased a fine 
resides e on "Shei man I [eights/ 1 
the famous "Montezuma Villa," once 
occupied bj [es •'• Bhepperd, 1 le bought 
during tin- extreme reaction from the 
"ix.om" of about fi when 

i\ ite was v ery low. Tl 
he has enlarged and improved, making 
of it a beautiful home and local 

his rapidly in< 1 



92 



J. M. PEEBLES A. M., M. D. 



some of his cures, both psychic and 
medical seeming almost miraculous. Here 
prosperity smiles upon him once more. 
In a few weeks his good wife will join him 
from the East, and become installed as 
the matron of the institution. 

The Doctor is an indefatigaple worker. 
Besides attending to his 167 patients 
(which he now has on hand), he edits the 
Temple of Health, contributes articles to 
various papers and medical magazines* 
gives an occasional discourse on Spirit- 
ualism, and performs his duties as presi- 
dent of the Los Angeles College of 
Science. He has published nine volumes 
of book matter, besides various pamph- 
lets, and has others in preparation. 

PERSONAL HABITS AND MODES OF LIT- 
ERARY WORK. 

Dr. Peebles believes what he preaches, 
and carries it out in the practice of his 
daily life. He is strictly temperate in all 
his personal habits, eating no animal food 
nor partaking of stimulants of any kind, 
not even tea or coffee. But his table is 
amply provided with the various cereals, 
nuts, vegetables, fruit, honey, etc. He 
has a passionate fondness for trees, 
shrubs and flowers, of which his prem- 
ises is well stocked, mostly planted with 
his own hands; and one may observe him 
any morning before the sun is up, out 
watering and caring for these. His mag- 
netic presence and perennial cheerfulness 
diffuses joy and sunshine throughout the 
whole house. In dress he is always neat 
and exact, but not dudish or foppish. He 
abhors the fashions. His habits are all 
clean and wholesome. His conversation, 
though often racy, pungent and abound- 
ing in witticisms, is chaste and refined. 
The writer— intimate with him for more 
than thirty years — never heard a coarse 
or vulgar expression fall from his lips. 
He is the best illustration I know of 
"How to grow old gracefully." At seven- 
ty-five, the lines in his face are soft and 
full of youthful expression. His frame 
is filled out, so that he is now both 
portly and tall. He is still projecting 
abors which it would seem demands a 



lifetime to carry out. His mental pro- 
ductiveness is something wonderful. It 
seems like a perennial fountain, both in 
its amplitude and versatility, — a fountain 
which as yet gives no sign of diminishing 
its volume. His mental concepts display 
the various stages of inception, germina- 
tion and evolution, but the processes are 
extremely rapid. His library may be 
compared to a field in preparation for a 
new crop, full of potential possibilities, 
but the crop that is to be does not present 
a very attractive appearance to the eye, 
— books, papers, scraps and unfinished 
MSS. lying all about. For the most part 
he stands at his desk while writing, but 
much of his literary matter is dictated to 
an amanuensis, — dictated rapidly while 
he alternately walks the floor and sits in 
a J recking chair. While thus engaged 
witticisms frequently burst forth as a by- 
play which serve to oil the "hinges of 
the mind" and keep the mental machin- 
ery in easy motion. 

It was intended to speak of the doctor's 
attitude of tolerance towards, and quali- 
fied acceptance of the various historical 
religions — especially Buddhism — , and of 
his firm belief in the doctrines of pre. 
existence and tendency towards a belief 
in reincarnation, but since these topics 
are quite fully discussed in his various 
works, and as the limits of this article are 
already exceded, no further presentation 
of them will be here attempted. 

Our brother has indeed "fought the 
good fight." His years have been filled 
with useful labors. The golden harvest 
sheaves lie all about him. He has 
assuaged many tears of sorrow, and 
extended helping hands to young, aspir- 
ing souls from the summit he occupies. 
He never knowingly perpetrated a wron.u 
against his fellows. His heaven consists 
in doing good. He believes his present 
duties pertain to this world, and he 
means to stay here until he shall be wit- 
ness to some of the great social and 
religious changes for the better, which he 
believes are impending and very near. 
His inmost being is ever afire with the 
gospel — the living gospel of Spiritualism 



J. M. PEEBLES A. M.. M. D. 



93 



in its highest, holiest aspects. His trust 
in Providence is absolutely unswerving. 
And now, though far past seventy, and 
nearing life's setting sun, there is not a 



life will, in some approaching evening 
time, open upward into the sunlight of 
another and higher life of growth and 
ultimate completeness — one God, one 



fragment of doubt in his mind but that law, one brotherhood, and one divine 
the incompleteness of this rudimentary destiny for all humanity. 



^gjito^ 



MRS. GEORGE ROBERTS. 



Mrs. Roberts was born in Hartwick, 
Otstego Co., N. Y. She was a medium 
from her earliest recollection. Her 
mother was a medium of great power 
and her children a family of sensitives. 
Mrs. Roberts was married in i85r, and 
with her husband, George Roberts, 
removed to California in 1861. After 
their arrival in California Mrs. Roberts' 
mediumship became more pronounced. 
Spirits walked and talked with her daily 
and manifested through her in twelve 
different phases. The most remarkable 
of these was levitation. The first she 
experienced of this phase she found 
herself being carried through the air and 
a dog was barking at her. The next she 
knew she was extended on the hearth-rug 
before a bright fire in a friend's house; 
her consciousness returned till she did 
the spirits' bidding. Th^y were then told 
to take the medium home; and it required 
careful nursing to restore her, so great 
had been the power over the physical. 
At another time she was carried across a 
stream and sat upright against a fence 
after a severe accident which caused 
dislocation of the shoulder and a broken 
arm. The broken bones were set with 
materialized hands. She was once sent 
many miles, not knowing what her 
mission would be, and arrived at the 
friend's house Justin time to save his life 
from poison. In many ways she has been 
used to save life. She hears spirit vo'ces, 
sees faces, and obeys their requests. She 
is at the present time working under the 
guidance and instructions of a band of 
wise and powerful spirits and will carry 



out their designs for the upliftment of 
humanity with all the ardor and strength 
of her deeply spiritual nature. 

THE TEMPLE OF WISDOM. 

In her beautiful and spacious home are 
apartments consisting of elegant parlors, 
set apart and consecrated to the work of 
divine, loving and advanced spirits. This 
"Temple of Purity and Wisdom" was 
formally opened and dedicated four years 
ago. On that occasion Mrs. Robert* 5 
explained to the assembled guests that 
the nature and objects of the Temple 
work was to elevate the spiritual condi- 
tion of the people, to render them pure 
and perfect in mind; holding that one 
who succeeded in attaining this high 
degree of spiritual unfoldment would 
necessarily obtain perfect control over 
the physical organism, as the body was 
but the creation of the mind. If the 
mind was pure and elevated by the aid 
of spiritual perfection, the body in its 
action would conform to the same. The 
attainment of this spiritual perfection was 
the highest accomplishment, and should 
be the chief aim of life. The services 
attendant upon the ceremony of dedica- 
tion were beautiful and impressive. The 
Temple and its belongings were draped 
in snowy white, as was also arrayed Mrs. 
Roberts and those who attended her. 

Mrs. Roberts is the "human magnet'' 
of the Temple, and as she says, holds 
converse personally with the angels, who 
guide her in all things pertaining to the 
Temple, and by their direction it was 
made. 





.MRS. GEORGE ROBERTS. 



MRS. GEORGE ROBERTS 



95 



At first the room was all in white. 
White cashmere and lace were used for 
portieres, piano cover, the upholstering 
of chairs and sofas, the altar covers, and 
for the robes of those who entered the 
room. Nothing but white must be worn 
by those who hoped to be able to hold 
communion with the angels, even the 
shoes were ot the same pure white. But 
later there has been a little transforma- 
tion, and now some colors are used in 
the Temple. The colors introduced are: 
Gold, which signifies wisdom; blue, love; 
red, strength; royal purple, power; and 
green, which is nature's foundation. But 
the robes of all those who enter still 
remain pure white. 

Many people have heard of the Temple, 
and many visit it every day, some of 
them coming from long distances. Some 
who visit it are drawn by idle curiosity, 
but very many more to hear the spiritual 
teachings which are given as freely as 
when Christ taught on earth. Universal 
love and universal brotherhood are the 
foundation stones of the Temple, and 
there is no defined membership. Every- 
one who wishes to come is received as a 
member so long as he wishes to remain, 
D ut without a white robe he may not sit 
in the inner Temple. Everything is free 
except the robe— that each one must fur- 
nish for himself. To sit in the outer 
temple one needs no white robe 

The principles taught are very beautiful 
and are aimed entirely for the uplifting 

of mankind. The teachings are all of 

universal love, love from the father of 
all, and love and charity for humanity in 

all its phases. Mrs. Roberts believes that 
all things, even the most humble insects 
and the flowers, have within them the 
spark of divine life; she will take the life 

of nothing, and no flower is everplucked 

by her before it has rea< lied its maturity. 

l here is a free cin ulating library ol 

psychic and occult works that UlOSC who 



come are welcome to. On week days 
Mrs. Roberts is always in the outer 
Temple from 10 a. m. to 4 p. if., where 
she will receive and instruct all who may 
wish to learn and profit by the teachings 
of the angels. 

As to this lady's womanly virtues there 
can be no question. Her creed is not as 
shadowy as the baseless fabric of a vision, 
and it delineates in its sweetness that 
highest of all types, a perfect woman. 
The belief that the ideal life can only be 
attained through the subjection of the 
body to the mind — the gross material to 
the intellectual, is beyond cavil true; but 
there must be so tireless a course of 
moral and intellectual evolution ere that 
goal is attained that only the most san- 
guine can contemplate it with hope. 

The principles inculcated by Mrs. Rob- 
erts — the comfort she extends to those 
whose ambition cannot bear to be 
bounded by the narrow confines of this 
world — her clear elucidation of tangled 
questions where reason's light in the 
hands of gentleness dissipates the nox- 
ious mists of ignorant (ear, appeals to the 
rationalist and allays the unreasoning 
ardor of the fanatic. The night is fai 
spent and the day is at hand when they 
who do all in their power to inaugurate 

an era of love and banish fear Irmn the 

hearts ol humanity, deserve the grateful 
thanks and cordial < o-operation <•: 
men and women everyw 1 

Besides the value ol the practical 
teachingsol the Temple, the benefits tp 
San |os<- arising from the charitable work 
ot Mrs. Roberts is beyond estimation, 

1 l«r lil<- is devoted to hei work, and with 

tin- ini the cin le <>t' her friends it 

i M -< omes more arduous. M >\ Mrs. k"i>- 

erts' hop- llized and le | 

rewarded is tin- earnest prayei o| mam 
grateful hearts \\h'> have been n 1 i| 
ol hei benefsu ti< >n 



ERNEST S. GREEN. 



The subject of this sketch was born 
near the wooded shores of Lake Wasecaj 
Minnesota in 1866, and at the age of seven 
years removed with his parents to the 
vast and billowy plains of Western Kan- 
sas, where he spent his winters in school 
and his summers herding his father's 
flocks. 

Away, away from the dwellings of men, 
By the antelope's haunt, by the buffalo's 

glen— 
Oh! then there was freedom, and joy and 

pride, 
Afar in the desert alone to ride. 
There was rapture to vault on the champ- 
ing steed, 
And to bound away with the eagle's speed, 
Withthedeath-fraughtfirelockinhishand, 
The only law in the desert land. 

It was there he read "books in the 
running brooks," sermons in the rocks,'' 
and poems written upon the skies; saw 
visions of celestial cities and glories 
untold by mortal pen or tongue; heard 
voices of the prehistoric past teaching 
him of the mysteries that were, and were 
yet to be, and in this manner was devel- 
oped while yet a boy to such a degree 
that he was able to confound collegiate 
"professors" with his philosophy. 

At fourteen years of age he began to 
learn the printer's trade, which occupa* 
tion, coupled with journalism, he has 
followed most of the time since, though 
some three years were spent as a musician, 
traveling with a band; also several tours 
of exploration were made among the 
mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, 
three days and nights having been spent 
with two companions in exploring a cave, 



a graphic description of which, entitled 
"Amid the Wonders of a Midnight 
World," he wrote for the Great Divide, 
a Denver magazine. 

Coming to San Diego in 1891, he con- 
tinued the study of Spanish, which he 
he had already begun, and, aided by his 
Spanish teacher, translated and compiled 
a volume of nearly 400 pages of "Mexican 
and South American Poems" which was 
published, and although highly endorsed 
by the literary press of both America and 
England, the book fell flat upon the mar- 
ket, causing a severe loss to the authors. 

Mr, Green has also written about fifty 
original poems, many of which were 
published in the literary journals of the 
country, and afterwards published col- 
lectively in a pamhlet called "Poems of 
the Past, Present and Future." The 
author, however, has now a very poor 
opinion of these poems since coming 
put in the full sun-burst of spiritual truth 
and knowledge, which came to him 
since their production, many of them 
being influenced by the orthodox teach- 
ings of his youth. 

In 1892 he married Miss Emma Jenkins, 
a native daughter of California, who now 
assists him in the publication of the 
Herald of Light. 

Since the author of this book has asked 
me to add my "testimony," as the Meth- 
odists would say, I will do so in part 
and with as much brevity as possible, in 
order that others may have an oppor- 
tunity to give the other reasons in their 
varied experiences. 

Although my parents were Methodists 
and I was raised among orthodox people, 




ERNEST S. GREEN. 



ERNEST S. GREEN 



97 



and first learned how to read in the Bible, 
yet from my earliest memory a voice 
spoke in my ear telling me that the first 
eleven chapters of the book of Genesis 
and many other things in the Bible were 
myths. I could not understand how an 
omnipotent and omnipresent God had to 
-call for Adam and Eve to come forth 
before he could find them; neither could 
I understand why he had to "go down" 
to Sodom and Gomorrah to see if it was 
"altogether according to the cry of it, 
which is come unto me; and if not I will 
know." Neither could I understand why 
it should have scores of contradictions 
like the following: 

*For I have seen God face to face. — 
•Gen., xxxii: 30. 

No man hath seen God at any time.— 
John i: 18. 

And they saw the God of Israel. — Ex. 
xxiv: 19. 

Whom no man hath seen nor can see. 
— I. Tim., vi: 15. 

•God is not a man * * * that he should 
repent. — Num. xxiii: 19. 

And God repented of the evil he had 
said. — Jonah iii: 10. 

Those that seek me early shall find 
me. — Prov. viii, 17. 

They shall seek me early, but shall not 
find me. — Prov, i: 28. 

The Lord is very pitiful and of tender 
mercy. — James v: n. 

I will not pity nor spare, nor have 
mercy, but destroy them. — Jer. xiii: 14. 

He doth not afflict willingly. — Lam. iii: 

.Vv 

Spare them not, but slay both man and 
woman, infant and suckling. — I. Samuel 
xv: 3. 

Thou shaft offer every day a bullock 
for a sin offering.- -Ex. xxix: 36. 

I delight not in the blood of bullocks. 
—Is. i: 11. 

God cannot be tempted with evil, 
neither tempteth he any man. — James 
1: 13. 

And it came to pass after these things 
that God did tempt Abraham.— Gen. 
xxii: 1. 

*The above table was compiled by 



Dr. Peebles, and is copied from his ans- 
wer to Dr. Kipp's Five Sermons against 
Spiritualism. 

Neither could I believe that part of the 
race was to be eternally damned and 
part saved. In short, I found, later, that 
I had always been a Spiritualist but did 
not know it. 

After these inconsistencies had been 
discovered, I read up on all the religions 
of the world, and of the numerous Mes- 
siahs of all ages, and found that Confucius 
had uttered the golden rule 600 years 
before Jesus spoke it, and that there was 
scarcely anything in our Bible that could 
not be found in far more ancient ones, 
and in the Dlahabarata, the Vcddas, and 
other oriental bibles, I found still more 
wisdom than our Bible contained. 

Although I had been reading up on 
occultism all my life, and had read of 
many things that were not accounted for 
by the numerous books I had read which 
purported to be "complete exposes" of 
mediums, I shunned Spiritualism to the 
last, having never heard anything but ill 
reports of them as a class, especially 
mediums. 

However, a slate-writing medium vis- 
ited the city and caused considerable 
excitement, but of course I thought it 
would be no trouble for me to tell him 
how he did his tricks, and paid no atten- 
tion to him, until one evening while 
sitting quietly at the table with my wife, 
engaged in reading the papers, a loiul 
rap, as of a hammer, was heard on the 

tabK- between us. There could be no 

accounting for this, as we lived in 

tage, and there was no < ham • for am 

one to get under the floor to strike the 

blow; besides we were in the middle <>t 

the door, and the blow was distinctly 
located by both of us .is on the table 

Alter that, though we locked our doOfl 

from the inside and left the keys in themi 
we would find them unlocked. The win" 
dows would be unlatched la th< 
manner. 

At last I went to the medium with my 

questions written In a sealed envelope. 
This I banded to him and watched him 



9 8 



ERNEST S. GREEN 



pass it into the lamp and burn it at once, 
giving him no chance for sleight-of-hand. 
I then took the slates, washed them 
thoroughly and held them firmly between 
my hands, upon mv lap. The medium 
placed his fingers upon one corner of the 
slate, and immediately his features be- 
came rigid and the sound ol rapid writing 
was heard between the slates, passing to 
and fro and working rapidly down to the 
bottom in about one minute — a piece of 
pencil about the size of a grain of wheat 
had been placed between the slates. 
This was all done in broad daylight, and 
I watched the medium's fingers to see 
that he did not make the scratching. 
Three loud raps from within announced 
that the slates were ready to open. When 
I opened them I found one of them writ- 
ten full in very small letters. The writing 
resembled the peculiar style of the person 
to whom the questions were addressed. 
They were all satisfactorily answered and 
things referred to that no one knew this 
side of the Rocky mountains but myself, 
and none but my own people on the 
other side had any knowledge of. 

Here was more proof ol immortality 
than I had ever seen before. Since that 
time I have had abundant demonstrations 
in my own family that would convince 
any person in his right mind. 

In that slate written message I was 
advised to start \\\<zHerald of Light, 
which I did a few months later. 

In my subsequent investigations I 
found that many of the best, most char- 
itable, upright and honest people I ever 
knew were Spiritualists, and mediums at 



that. I also found that many of the 
greatest living scientists, philosophers 
and statesmen living in the world to-day 
are Spiritualists, and that there is no 
other class of people on the face of the 
earth misrepresented and lied about so 
much as are our people. This may be 
accounted for by the fact that we are not 
hypocrites, and each one lets his neigh- 
bor know just what he is, while the rest 
of the world live dual lives, parading one 
before the public, and using the other in 
business transactions. 

I also found that Spiritualism contained 
the key to all religions and to all science 
and wisdom. 

The following poem was given to me 
in semi-trance: 

DEATH OF MATERIALISM. 

Earth is dying! souls awaking! 

Light is coming on apace! 
Darkness flees before the morning 

Which now dawns upon the race. 

Up, ye creed-bound sleeping mortals, 

For the sun-burst is at hand! 
Rise to see its glory beaming 

In your golden Summerland! 

Error struggles in his death throes! 

See the mist rise from his tomb! 
O'er the hills a light celestial 

Breaks the long, long night of gloom! 

Rise from slumber! Tell the nations 
That dark Error's reign is 'o'er! 

That the light of truth eternal 
Rules on earth forevermore! 

Ernest ft. Green. 




SARAH R. WHITEHEAD. 



MRS. S. B. WHITEHEAD. 



The task of writing a biographical 
sketch is at best a difficult one. Only a 
long and intimate acquaintanceship, with 
free access to the domestic circle of the 
subject, will fit one for the labor. By this 
means you are made somewhat indepen- 
dent of the caprice of the subject. If he 
be bursting with self-conceit and be 
requested to furnish a few notes of his 
life, he will pluck a handful of needles 
from the cushion of his experience, and 
quickly manufacture them into needle 
guns. He will take a few molehills from 
the narrow field of his labor, and placing 
them in a circle, cause them to stalk be- 
fore you in literary garb as an interminable 
chain of lofty mountainsof human achieve- 
ment. 

Should he chance to be of a modest, 
retiring disposition, he will suppress every 
event in his life of which you are unaware 
and belittle those with which you are 
familiar. 

He will insist upon your viewing each 
good act of his life upon which you chance 
to stumble, through the inverted lens of 
your own mental telescope, that they may 
all be lost in the fields of beautiful noth- 
ingness. 

Fortunately tor me, the subject of this 
sketch has been well known to the writer 
*or many years, and what is here given is 
'rum a personal knowledge, rather than 
from the ten or twelve lines of notes 
furnished lor this article, coupled with 

the modest request that we "write noth- 
ing that will sound egotistical." 

Mrs. Whitehead was born a medium 
and a Spiritualist in the historic town <>l 

Salem, Massachusetts. She early remov- 
ed to Boston where she received many 
advantages of iptellei tual i ulture furnish- 
ed by that progressive city- the em- 

bryotic "hub." 

From her parents she imbibed a liberal 
spirit, tjiey being Universalists, but six- 

never uas inclined to join any cluin h. 



In the year 1S54 she learned that one 
of her girl friends could "get the raps." 
She and her sister,the late Mrs. Hutching?, 
determined to sit and see what would be 
the result. Almost from the first they 
were both controlled to write, and her 
sister soon after became clairaudient and 
.clairvoyant. Her conversion, through 
her own mediumship, was complete; and 
though a third of a century lias rolled 
away on the rapid wheels of time, still 
she has never had cause to regret this, 
the greatest event of her life — her spirit- 
ual birth from darkness into light. 

Four years of quiet spiritual growth 
sped on, when the hour arrived that was 
calculated to show the great value of 
Spiritualism to her. Dear reader, have 
you ever watched nature's beautiful law 
of unfoldment as seen in the budding life 
of a little child? And have you also 
realized that the dear little darlin. 
more to you than all the world beside? 
And when your mind w.is filled with 
plans for its future welfare, have you 
it turn away from all that it had loved 
and cherished, and as it seeking pi 
tion from the chilling winds of earth in 
the strong embrace <>t your willing anus, 
breathe out its last breath on your wai m, 

loving heart ? It s,>, then you h.i\e p 

through ill 

ii, ii, e oi soul refinement vou< hsafed to 

humanity. This ble< led trial 1 ame to 

the lot oi Mis. Whitehead. \ 

child, a sweet little d uighter <•! eight 

lummi mslerred from I 

of her loving mother to I 

dear angel friends a 

It waa then that ti. 
solation, the swet t solace "i Spiritualism 
1 ame t«> her relief, lu il she found thai 
abiding 1 omfort born • •! absolute knowl- 
that 1- u. .t elsewhere nun 

In the following sunin 

lOUghl a new hOC 



soo 



MRS. S. B. WHITEHEAD 



in San Francisco. Her great love fo r 
children, intensified by the transition of 
her beautiful daughter, led her to engage 
in Sunday-school work. There not being 
any spiritual society fostering lyceum 
work at this time, she went into that of 
the Unitarian society, where she instruct- 
ed her class in liberal thought, and 
dropped as many seeds of spirituality in 
their young minds as circumstances would 
•admit. This work was continued by our 
sister for three or four years (to the great' 
and lasting benefit of the church), until 
the arrival on the Coast of Mrs. Emma 
Hardinge. Her labors were a great en- 
couragement to the Spiritualists, for 
shortly after a movement was made by 
Mrs. Whitehead and other nob'.e souls, 
for the organization of the First Children's 
Progressive Lyceum of San Francisco. 

The members of the lyceum paid a 
Avell deserved compliment to the devo- 
tion of Mrs. Whitehead and her well- 
T*nown ability by electing her Guardian 
of Groups — a position which she contin- 
ued to hold for several years with honor 
to herself and satisfaction to all. From 
that time down to the present she has 
'been a persistent, faithful worker in the 
cause of spiritual progress. Being of a 
retiring disposition, she has never sought 
leadership, but has been content to labor 
on unobtrusively, though efficiently, in 
'humble positions. Ever and anon she 
has been summoned to do battle in the 
front rank, at which times, we are pleased 
to say, she has never shown "the white 
feather." The Society of Progressive 
.Spiritualists is under deep obligation to 
her for her wise, patient services as a 
•director from the first day of its organi- 
sation, for a period of ten years, during 
the greater portion of which time she 
filled the position either of Secretary or 
Librarian. She was ever devoted, faith- 
ful, honest and conscientious in the dis- 
charge of her duties and in her efforts 
for the prosperity and usefulness ot the 
society. Though sometimes misunder- 
stood and criticised by enemies, still she 
never swerved from the path of duty and 
right. To her wisdom and spiritual in- 



tuitions, that society owes largely its 
present prosperity, and perhaps even its 
existence. She is thoroughly in harmony 
with the progressive, practical work of 
this sterling, spiritual society. 

She was elected as a member of the 
Board of Directors of the California 
Spiritualists' State Camp-Meeting Asso- 
ciation, and did most efficient work there 
in the capacity of secretary, for three 
years. 

On all the great questions of the day, 
affecting the weal or woe of humanity, 
she is certainly a "solid citizen," ever 
espousing the cause of the weak against 
the encroachments of the strong. Hav- 
ing shown that she has a mind of her 
own, has oft exposed her to the some- 
what common but still terrible charge of 
being "strojig-minded." Though this 
dreadful accusation probably had the 
effect of excluding her from the society ot 
the weak-minded, still it was a ready 
passport to the ranks of the woman suf- 
fragist, where she was known as a per- 
sistent worker and efficient adviser. She 
has lived to see the fruit of her labor in 
this direction. 

We cannot close this article better than 
by making reference to the kind, patient, 
loving demeanor that ever characterized 
the gentle, faithful ministrations of Mrs. 
Whitehead for her aged mother. No 
duty to her was ever viewed in the light 
of labor. Nothing was left undone that 
willing hands could find to do. Though 
her mother was oppressed with the 
weight of over four score years, and for 
several years confined much of the time 
to her bed, still Mrs. Whitehead was her 
only attendant until the end came. We 
can only wish that when the winter of 
age may have whitened her brow, that 
that she may be fortunate in the reward 
of a care as tender and heartfelt from 
some earthly loved one, who will take a 
pure delight in smoothing her pathway to 
the beautiful home she is now building 
in the world of joy, when her angel 
friends shall have summoned her to 
"come up higher." 




WILLIAM EMMKTTK COLEMAN. 



WILLIAM EMMETTE COLEMAN 



William Emmette Coleman was born 
June 19, /843. at Shadvvell, Albemarle 
county, Virginia. In 1849 his family mov- 
ed to Charlottesville, the seat of the State 
University. Here he first attended 
school, and astonished all by his remark- 
able proficiency in study, — his teacher, in 
1850, when he was only seven years old> 
often placing him in his seat, as precep- 
tor, to hear the other scholars. Mr. 
Coleman was born with an insatiable 
love of knowledge, which still obtains as 
strongly as ever. In Richmond, Va., to 
which his mother moved in 1851, the 
same proficiency attended him. In 1854, 
at eleven, he left school (his teacher say- 
ing that he could teach him no more), to 
become assistant librarian in the Rich- 
mond Public Library, which position he 
retained till the library was dispersed 
several years after. In 1855 he prepar- 
ed an analytical catalogue of the library. 
In 1859 came the turning point of his 
life, — his conversion from Orthodoxy to 
radical Spiritualism, at the same time 
renouncing his pro-slavery views for 
abolitionism. Since then he has been a 
zealous member of the Republican party, 
probably the first one in the city of Rich- 
mond. From that time to this he lias 
been a supporter of every reform looking 
to the advancement of the human race: 
as woman's lights, labor, ami prison re- 
forms; dress, dietetic, and medical re- 
form-; peace and temperance reforms; 
rights of children, marriage and divorce 
reforms; co-operative and othersoi i«>l« >gic 
reforms; state secularization, abolition ol 

capital and retaliatory punishments, etc, 

His tin trough acceptance of the Spiritual 
philosophy directed his mind to scientific 

and philosophic matters, and also pla< ed 

him on his feet morally. Mr. Coleman 



egards spiritualism as his saviour and 
inspiring guide, mentally and morally, 
and that all that he has since become and 
done is due to the revolution in his mental 
nature brought about by his spiritualism. 
In 1863 Mr. Coleman made his debut 
as an actor in Richmond, and he 
became assistant stage manager; and in 
1864 he was stage manager at the Wil- 
mington (North Carolina) Opera House. 
He continued on the stage till 1867 
during which period he was the dramatic 
correspondent of the New York Clipper 
and the Mercury. He also dramatized 
several works for the stage, including a 
successful version of "East Lynne." In 
1867 he was President of the Board ol 
Registration in Bland county, Virginia, 
during the reconstruction of that State, 
under Federal laws, from [867 to i s 7". 
he was clerk at the military headquarters 
in Richmond, Va., and when the d 
ment was abolished in [870 he was th«- 
chief clerk in the adjutant general's offu e 
He was a delegate to three successive 
state conventions of the Republican party 

in Virginia, in 1868-70, and in [869 he 

was appointed a member of the Republi- 
can State ventral Committee ol Virginia 
In 1870 he was a prominent memb 
the first ••woman's Rights" convi 
held 111 Virginia, and bj it he m 
vi< e-president <>t the "\ irginia 

Woman's Right - A 9 •■ K iati..n." I 

1870 to I s : t lie was on th< 

his last engagement ' 

manager in Albany, N. \ , rib prim ipal 

dramatic roiewa • "old men;" and among 

his ni' ful imp ■ 

Poloniui in " Haml 
••King ol the I omm 

• M: ., Muii. .n." and I : 
in 



102 



WILLIAM EMMETTE COLEMAM 



Since 1874 be has been in the Quarter- 
master's Department, United States 
Army, being made chief clerk in the chief 
quartermasters' office in San Francisco in 
1883, in which office he is still employed. 
In 1875, at a pronouncing-bee in Philadel- 
phia, he won the first prize ot $50, and 
he also took prizes at several spelling 
bees. While in Philadelphia he was an 
active participant in the theological 
debates each Sunday in Jayne Hall, in 
which he particularly defended Spiritual- 
ism and the future life from the attacks 
of Materialists, and also Freethought and 
Rationalism from the assaults of the ortho" 
dox. Several of his anti-theological arti- 
cles, on the Bible God, Jesus Christ, the 
Sabbath, etc., were published in the 
"Freethinker Tracts" from 1875 to l8 79- 
He attended the Centennial Congress of 
Liberals, at Philadelphia, in 1876, thus 
being a charter member of the National 
Liberal Lengue. He was an active mem- 
ber of the Executive Committee ot the 
Liberal League in Kansas, in which state 
he resided Irom 1875 to '79, and was Sec- 
retary of the Kansas State Liberal and 
Spiritual Camp meeting in 1879. He is 
opposed to the total repeal of the laws 
against the transmission of obscene litera- 
ture through the mails, but is in tavor of 
such modifications as will protect the 
rights of all from arbitrary arrest and im- 
prisonment. 

Through Spiritualism, Mr. Coleman 
was a believer in evolution before he ever 
heard of Darwin; and a conflict between 
Spiritualism a. id Darwinism being pre- 
dicated in 1876, he published an extend- 
ed reply thereto, which ran through the 
Chicago Religio- Philosophical Journal 
for several months, and "elicited encomi- 
ums from many able thinkers." In 1878 
Mr. Coleman delivered a series of lectures 
on "Darwinism and the Evolution of 
Man,'' before the Leavenworth (Kansas), 
Academy of Science, which were classed 
by the local press as among "the ablest 
and most interesting" ever delivered at 
the Academy. Attempts were made at 
the Academy, by the ultra- Christian con- 
servatives, to silence Mr. Coleman's radi- 



cal utterances, but he fought them 
"tooth and nail," and refused to be put 
down. In 1879 ne lectured at the Academy 
twice on "Spectrum Analysis;" and also 
on the 'Parallelism between Biologic and 
Philologic Evolution." At his departure 
from Leavenworth, the Academy passed 
resolutions of regret, and recommended 
him "to scientific and literary persons 
everywhere, as an able thinker, a ripe 
scholar, and an earnest, studious, and 
industrious worker." In 1877 Mr. Cole- 
man published a number of Freethought 
and scientific articles in the Toronto, 
Canada, Freelhoughl Journal, and in 
1878 he conducted the " Review of Cur- 
rent Literature" in the Spiritual Offering, 
of St. Louis. Since 1875 ne nas contrib- 
uted hundreds of articles to the Spiritual 
and Freethought journals in America and 
England, mostly, of late years, to the 
Religio- Philosophical Journal and the 
Carrier Dove. In 1878-9 he compiled and 
published two editions of an "Index of 
Orders of the War Department Affecting 
the Quartermaster's Department." He 
has, since 1880, lectured many times in 
San Francisco on Spiritual and theologi- 
cal subjects. For over a dozen years 
past he has made a specialty of Oriental- 
ism, especially of Hinduism, Buddhism, 
and Sanskrit literature; and he is a mem- 
ber of the principal Oriental societies in 
America and England. He also devotes 
special research to comparative philology 
and comparative mythology. He has a 
library of 8.000 volumes, including one 
thousand on Orientalism, and two thou- 
sand seven hundred on the religions of 
the world. The best works in all branches 
of knowledge form the rest of the library, 
which has been declared by scientists one 
of the finest and best-strlected private 
libraries, for working purposes, in the 
country. Mr. Coleman's numerous essays 
on "Krishna and Christ," and on other 
Oriental, philological, archaeological, and 
theological subjects, have been warmly 
commended for their accuracy, thor- 
oughness, and ability, by the leading 
Sanskritists and comparative theologians 
of the world, including Professors W 



WILLIAM EMMETTE COLEMAX 



i°3 



D. Whitney (Yale), C. R. Lanman 
(Harvard), A. H. Sayce, Max Mueller, 
and Monier- Williams (Oxford), Abraham 
Kuenen and C. P. Tiele (Leiden), Al- 
brecht Weber (Berlin), et al. 

He was a member of the Advisory 
Councils of the '"World's Congress of 
Evolutionists" and ofthe "PsychicScience 
Congress" at the Chicago Exposition of 
1893. In both congresses a paper from 
his pen was read. Among the more im- 
portant of the numerous essays and 
treatises which he has published are these: 
"The Essenes and Therapeutae," "The 
Druids", "The Alexandrian Library," 
"The Seven Bibles ofthe World," "The 
Talmudic Jesus," "Apollonius of Tyana 
and Jesus Christ," "The Veil of Isis," 
"Sabbath Observance," "The Nicene 
Council and the Biblical Canon," "The 
Bible God and Nature," and "The De- 
lusions of Astrology." 

Mr. Coleman has an analytical, critical 
mind, and his writings are largely occu- 
pied with a ventilation of what he regards 
as the sophistries and fallacies of talse 
theories. In Spiritualism he accepts 
nothing that cannot be scientifically 
demonstrated. For twenty years he has 
been especially active in attempts to place 
Spiritualism and the occult on a purely 
scientific basis, the segregation of the 
impure and the irrational elements therein 
from the demonstrably true and sensible; 
and the "frauds, fools, and fanatics," as 
he terms them, in Spiritualism, he has 
mercilessly excoriated. He has also 
vigorously denounced tin* bad logic and 
vagaries (as he deems them) of re-incarna- 
tion, pre-existance, obsession, occultism, 
bibliolatry, the solar-mythic origin of 
Christianity, and the charlatanism of many 

pretended mediums. "N<> compromise 
with error; the truth must prevail 1 '' is the 

watchword of his endeavor. "A terror 

to evil-doers ar.d t-vil-thinkei s, " he lias 

been called by Andrew fackson Davis. 
Mr. Coleman is devoted, practically, to 
the reforms he advocates. He eschews 
the use of intoxicating liquors, tobacco 
in all forms, tea, < ofiee, stimulating condi- 
ments, profane and indelicate langU 



gaming, low and lewd associations, etc., 
and believes in purity of heart and life, 
integrity, chastity, and the supremacy of 
truth. He has a hearty detestation of all 
stiams and hypocrisies, coupled with a 
fervent love of truth for its own sake. 
Although as a writer he is bold and vigor- 
ous, at times very severe yet personally 
he is mild, diffident, retiring. 

Mr. Coleman has combated Theosophy 
as a fraud and delusion from its inception 
in 1875, and he has published many 
articles in exposure of its pretenses and 
ofthe trickery of Madame Blavatsky. 
For some time he has been preparing for 
publication a work in exposure of 
Theosophy in all its branchesr; and it is 
intended to include many facts never 
before published, gathered by Mr. Cole- 
man during his prolonged researches, 
and his extensive correspondence on this 
matter in all parts ofthe world. Though 
a decided disbeliever in any form of 
Christianity, and many of his writings are 
devoted to criticisms of its claims, Mr 
Coleman ever tries to be strictly just to 
the Church, the Bible, Jesus, and Judaism; 
and he has often felt called upon to oppose 
and expose unfair attacks upon these by 
certain schools of Free thought. As the 
New York Evolution remarked, "Mr. 
Coleman is a devour of He is 

one by whom truth, unadulterated truth, 

is preferred far above his personal whims, 

or passions, ordesires, and regardli 

the claims of party, place or power. I IlS 

articles show him to be one of the most 

thoroughly well read men in the country." 

In 1871 , Mr. Coleman m 11 1 ied M 
Wilmot Bouton, of N *w York, a 1 
education and refinement, beloved by ail 
who knew her, sensitive, mediumistic, 
and aw earnest spiritualist and reformi r 
She passed to tie- higher lil 1 in 
In a tribute to her mem m Mi I loleman 
I., her noble qualities in tie- ; 

and most all<c tion it-- terms. His only 

children, a boy and a girl, are with his 

"Willie" in 111-- spirit • lime. I b- 

member of the American < hrienl il 
tv, Royal Asiati 
and Ireland, Pali 1 



io 4 WILLIAM EMMETTE COLEMAN 

Exploration Fund, Brooklyn (N. Y.) Society for Psychical Research of Lon- 

Ethical Association, California Psychical don, and for some years was President 

Society, Library Association of Central of the Golden Gate Religious and Philo- 

California, California Camera Club, etc. sophical Society of San Francisco. 
He is an Honorary Associate of the 







MRS. M. J. HKNDEE-ROGERS. 



MRS. M. J. HENDEE-ROGERS. 



The subject of this sketch is a native 
of Maine. Her ancestors were from 
England. Her grandmother, on her 
mother's side, was a Garrison — sister of 
Wm. Lloyd Garrison's father. It is 
believed that she has the honor ot being 
the oldtst public mediumistic evangel of 
the modern gospel on the Coast; that 
she is, in fact, the veteran medium par 
excellence of California. Long years ot 
arduous and faithful service in the cause 
of spiritual and liberal truth has she spent 
in our midst; and fervently it is hoped 
that for many an additional year her 
snow-covered locks may be seen amongst 
us, as she continues to dispense, as freely 
as of yore, the irradiant light-gleams, 
descending from supernal spheres, im- 
parted to a soul-hungry world through 
her beneficent inspirational gifts. 

Mrs. Rogers was first led to a knowl- 
edge of the truth as found in Modern 
Spiritualism through conversation thei eon 
with a friend. At that time she was an 
ardent Methodist. She regarded Spirit- 
ualism as a delusion, and deemed it her 
duty as a Christian to warn people from 
its snares. While engaged in warning her 
friend against its wiles, she felt the pres- 
ence of some one in the room, though 
DO one but her friend and herself was 
visible, and she heard a voice say to her, 
"Are you sure that you have all the 
truth ? Is there nothing new to be Inves- 
tigated? 'Prove all things, and Hold fast 
that which is good. 1 " For a moment 
she was struck speechless, feeling that 
she had received a well merited rebuke 
for her injustice in condemning that 
uf which she knew nothing; and she fell 
herself a bigot, in refusing to Investigate 
this wondrous manifestation, and tesl its 
truth or falsity. Her friend knew nothing 
of her thoughts nor ot what occasioned 
them, and was surprised, a1 the close of 



the conversation, by her inquiring when 
the next spiritual meeting would be held, 
saying she desired to attend. She did 
attend, and at the meeting listened for 
the first time to a trance speaker — a pale, 
feeble man, devoid of culture, but who, 
under control, held the audience spell- 
bound with his eloquence. From that 
time she fully accepted the fact that the 
unseen dwellers on the thither shore 
return to earth and intelligently control 
mortals. 

Although Mrs. Rogers fthen Uphani 
so stoutly opposed Spiritualism, yet, 
prior even to the advent of this modern 
phase of supra-mundane revealment, Bhe 
and other members of her family had 
been recipients of spiritual visitations and 
foreshadowings. In I847 (a year before 
the ever memorable 31st ot March, [848 
she had bitterly bewailed the loss of hei 
little girl babe of four years. Its manner 
of death was so trying to her that she 
coukl not get over it, and often she wepl 
herself nearly sick. In her morbid self, 
condemnation she felt as if she hersell 
were to blame tor its premature demise, 

and yet she knew that Spe was realU 

innocent One day when alone and in 
great distress, wishing for death, hei 
little girl came to hei and said, "Mamma, 
don't cry any more; it was all right; i; 
was to be. [ am happy -don't cry!" She 
spoke to her several times, and she full) 
recognized her voice, and knew that ii 
w.i , hei tweet « htld, Ploten 
that time -■ d to gi le* <• foi hi 1 

loss, but she did not 1. (Mai as 

spiritualism; and when, in the next fol- 
lowing years, Spiritualism wa 
gaining ground, pon man 

dons similai In 1 hara< tei to lh< i< man! 
feat in hei 1 m n 1 
■ 
vt she bad been taught I In the 



io6 



MRS. M. J. HENDEE-ROGERS 



appearing of the dead. Her mother was 
a natural seer, and often saw and spoke 
to spirits; and prior to the death ot any 
member oi the family, she would always 
be warned of the approaching event by 
the vision of a ball of fire. 

In December, 1849, her husband. Mr. 
Upham, came to California, at which time 
he and she knew nothing of Spiritualism. 
One night Mr. Upham awoke from sleep, 
when the room suddenly lighted up, and 
his father stood before him and said to 
him, "Ansel, I died to-night at 12 
o'clock!" This he twice repeated, and 
then vanished, the room resuming its 
natural darkness. Mr. Upham arose and 
looked at the time: it was half-past 12. 
He noted the date, and the spirit's intel- 
ligence being fully confirmed, he became 
thoroughly convinced of the fundamental 
truths of Spiritualism. 

It was about this time that Mrs. Upham 
became converted as before stated; and, 
as she knelt in prayer in church, a won- 
drous power seemed to possess her and 
all was light. The church appeared 
transparent; she could perceive no walls; 
and her friends seemed divested of their 
natural bodies, and were as if glorified 
with spiritual raiment, so angelic was 
their appearance. It was to her an ecsta- 
cy of joy and peace. She loved every- 
body; there was no sin; all was good, 
and God was love, pervading all things. 
She remained a church communicant 
nearly seven years, and was such when 
she came to California in September, 1858. 
She did not unite with the church here, 
as at that time her faith had blossomed 
into a knowledge of the divine realities 
of Spiritualism. She was surprised to 
find her husband a firm believer also, as 
he had written nothing to her concern- 
ing it. 

There were no public spiritual meet- 
ings held in their vicinity, so they insti- 
tuted circles, but obtained no response 
irom the spirit country. They could find 
but one person knowing aught on the 
subject, and she told them of a lady in 
the vicinity who was sometimes controlled 
to speak. They, with others, went one 



evening to hear her speak, but, through 
sickness, she failed to arrive. The land- 
lord of the hotel having said that he could 
tip the table, a sitting was held. Being 
disturbed by some of the men present, 
whom she thought were making fun of 
their religion, Mrs. Upham arose to leave 
the table, when a power seemed to sieze 
her, and her voice was checked. She 
could only make guttural sounds, and 
her hands pounded the table in spite of 
the efforts both of herself and of those 
present to stop it. For several days she 
could not talk plainly. The next day 
she sat at a large center-table in the 
parlor, which rocked and moved all 
around the room, and from that time her 
labors as a medium began. 

Her mediumistic gifts have been and 
are of a varied character. Among them 
are the following: Personating death 
scenes and living people until they are 
recognized; sympathetically taking on 
the diseases of others and curing them; 
seeing writing on the wall' as if written on 
large rolls of paper, and read as it is 
being unrolled; laying on of hands and 
curing the sick, and, under control, writ- 
ing prescriptions for those diseased. 

At times, tor several years, she held 
large circles, during which period she 
was educated to speak while entranced, 
promise being given that her eyes would 
be opened, and that she would speak 
before large audiences, and, under influ- 
ence, would write manuscripts for publi- 
cation — all of which she was educated to 
do during the year she was the pupil ot 
the invisibles. 

From 185S to 1S6S her mediumship 
was free to all; not one cent did she 
charge or receive during these ten years. 
In Sacramento the good angels told her 
that she must hereafter charge for sittings 
as "the laborer was worthy of his hue," 
and if she did not her 'medium ship would 
be taken from her. At that time she was 
treating the sick, doing her household 
duties, holding circles twice a week, and 
lecturing twice a week in Turn Verein 
Hall, alternately with Mr. \V. F.Lyon, 
afterwards one of the authors of The 



MRS. M. J. HENDEE-ROGERS 



07 



Hollow Globe. She performed some 
remarkable cures, which she attributed 
to the good spirits, as they diagnosed the 
disease and restored the suflererto health, 
often after being given up by the physi- 
cians. 

July 18, 1S68, her dear mother passed 
to spirit-life suddenly. While she was 
passing away the daughter attempted to 
restore her, when the mother spoke, 
calling her by name, saying, "I am hap- 
py! I am happy!" Mrs. Rogers afterwards 
saw her spirit form ascending, surround- 
ed by a bright halo, and looking happy 
and joyous. The night previous to her 
soul's flight, the mother saw the same 
"light that had warned her of other's 
departure. Her husband regarded it at 
first as merely a reflection of some ordi- 
nary light, but, placing his hand over it, 
he found that it was covered, and was, 
therefore, no reflection, at which he was 
much troubled. 

A few months after Mrs. Upham 
removed to San Francisco, on Market 
street, where the Grand Hotel now 
stands, and there opened the first adver- 
tised public spiritual seances ever held in 
the city, sometimes from forty to fifty 
persons attending. She also gave private- 
sittings, treated the sick, and lectured 
occasionally. She also held developing 
circles, developing a number of trance 
and inspirational speakers and healers'. 
In San Francisco she, for the first time, 
made any charges for seances, though, 
during the preceding ten years, thou- 
sands had been made glad through her 
mediumship, with knowledge of the 
continued existence and loving presence 
of their so-called deceased relatr 
friends. 

Trior to her removal to Sin FranciSCO, 
her Indian guide, calling himsell "Sun- 
rise," had left her, so she had n » Indian 
"Control." Shortly after her arrival in 

San Francisco she was moved, <>n open- 
ing her circles and receiving thej 
to lay to them, "1 lichi um,"and nothing 
else. This was not understood, until at 
last it was discovered thai it w 

trol," and finally he explained by saying 



that his name was Hichicum Hi, and 
that Hichicum meant " power," and 
Hi meant "here" — "power is here." 
From that time he assumed an active 
control, and has remained with her ever 
since. He subsequently stated that he 
was a Mohawk chieftain, who had lived 
fifty years btfore in the Mohawk Valley; 
that he had been brought to Mrs. Upham 
by "Sunrise," and that he was a medi- 
cine man in spirit-life. This statement 
has been abundantly verified in the won- 
derful control he has manifested to thou- 
sands of persons in healing and in giving 
tests. Among those cured by him was a 
doctor who had been given up by his 
phvsician, who told him to go home to 
Boston and lay his bones with his father's. 
Also a Mr. Thompson, said by his phy- 
sicians to be afflicted with aneurism of 
the aorta of the neck, and who could not 
live — was liable to die at any moment. 
Hichicum told him it was not aneurism, 
but a strain, and the ligaments were 
swollen, and lie, through his medium, 
could cure him. After four \\ 1 
merit he was perfectly restored, and is 
now, after sixteen years, alive, wll and 
hearty. 

Mrs. M. I.. Morrison, residing on How- 
ard street, s.m Francisco, and afflicted 
with inflammation of the Stomach, was 
told by her physicians th.it she could 

only live a few hours. Mrs. Upham, 

being sent for, told her daughter her 

mother's symptoms, 
than the doctors had. At the lirs: 
ment she broke th ind, in six 

treatments she cured h< . and 

fpham n.»w pi 

testimonial that she Cured her without 

on<- drop "i medicin< 

gle drop of blood, and without : 

or plaster—- using nothing laying 

on of h.n 

( )u ano 1 .: 
of a Is 

inder the 

her in gi eal p mi. 

and placing her hands upon t 
! with BUi 



io8 



MRS. M. J. HENDEE-ROGERS 



scream a little. The cure had been ef- 
fected — the placenta had grown to her 
side, and was, by this means, removed. 
The lady quickly recovered, and is, to- 
day, one of our best mediums. 

On one occasion, in sitting with a gen- 
tleman, a number of his spirit friends 
came, but he said he wished to hear from 
the living. She then saw and described, 
in turn, (i) his wife; (2) a young man of 
eighteen, whom she said would make a 
good surveyor and architect, and whom 
the sitter identified as his son, whom he 
had just placed in a surveying school; 
(3) another son, more domestic, and re- 
sembling his mother; (4) a young lady, 
sitting, as it seemed, on the floor, with 
one limb drawn up toward her back;— 
this lady, she said, was his daughter, and 
she told him the cause of her affliction, 
and advised him to take her out of the 
doctor's care and place her under the 
treatment of a magnetic and electric heal- 
er, and that she would get well; — (5) a 
young girl, ten or twelve years old, in 
good health, and resembling him in ap- 
pearance. The gentleman confirmed the 
truth of all that had been told him, and 
said he had been recommended to con- 
sult her relative to the treatment of his 
afflicted daughter. He was not a Spirit- 
ualist, and had never before sat with a 
medium; and he said it was the most 
wonderful thing he had ever seen or 
heard. His family, which had been so 
accurately described, was in Chicago, 
and he went on his way rejoicing. 

A few weeks thereafter, the family of 
the gentleman, including the invalid 
daughter, presented themselves to Mrs. 
Upham. The sick girl, in accordance 
with the medium's advice, had been 
placed under the care of a magnetic heal- 
er, and was rapidly recovering. She 
afterwards became a healthy and happy 
wife and mother. The writer has seen 
the written testimonial of the father, Mr. 
Charles Holland, setting forlh the facts 
in this case as here stated. 

"During my first summer in San Fran- 
cisco," says Mrs. Rogers, "I felt im- 
pelled to write, and I was requested to 



sit one hour each day, and the spirits 
would write their experiences in the spirit 
life. This request was signed, 'George 
Washington.' I commenced, and the 
result is the pamphlet known by that 
name, written through my hand, and pub- 
lished by, and through the kindness of 
our loved and lamented friend, T. B. 
Clark, who kindly interested himself to 
do the work after it had lain in manu- 
script nearly ten years, and who after- 
wards sat with me while writing the 
spirit experiences of Martha and Mary 
Washington. The three manuscripts 
were published by him, and they have 
been widely circulated. 

"Spiritualism came to me in my trou- 
bles; it soothed my sorrows and gave to 
me the knowledge that though my friends 
passed from my sight, they were not 
dead, but born to an immortal clime, 
where I expect to meet them, when I am 
called to go. When my husband, Mr- 
Hendee, knew that he was dying, he 
called all around the bed and said that 
he should die, as he had lived, in the full 
belief of Spiritualism; that he knew that 
he should meet his mother and friends; 
and, as far as his future was concerned, 
he was happy to go, only being sorry to 
leave his wife to the cold world. He was 
a staunch Spiritualist for fifteen years — a 
good and noble man. I have received 
many loving tests from him in proof of 
his presence and love. 

While residing at Napa City, in 1S65, 
during my control at a seance, I saw a 
funeral procession. The men walked 
with their heads bowed, and dressed in 
black, with black and white crape on 
their arms. There soon followed a band 
with muffled drums, then others on 
horseback. The black horses wore white 
plumes and the white horses black 
plumes. Then carriages of state, then 
foreigners; then the catafalque came and 
was set down, and I was made to go for- 
ward and look into the casket. There I 
saw the face of Abraham Lincoln, and as 
I was made to express what I saw, I said, 
"The head of our Nation." Then I was 
taken away, and foreign ambassadors 



MRS. M. J. HENDEE-ROGERS 



1C9 



followed in carriages, with horses highly 
caparisoned, all passing on in the train- 
Then I heard the 'Battle Cry of Freedom' 
played, and I looked and saw the Union 
troops with flags lowered ^nd draped in 
black and white. They marched on out 
of sight. I then came to myself, when I 
heard them say, T am afraid it is Lincoln.' 
I had given a full description as they 
passed. This was en Sunday evening, at 
Captain West's, at Napa; and on the 
next Saturday noon, news came that 
Seward and Lincoln were assassinated. 
I said I did not see but one, and, as Sew- 
ard lived, there was but one; and I had 
seen the real procession that was to be, 
for the processions formed at other places 
were meager compared to what 1 saw in 
my vision, for such it must have been. 



There are several no^v living who were 
present on this occasion, including Mrs. 
Captain West, at whose house it trans- 
pired. By this and many other testimo- 
nies regarding Lincoln's death, it cer- 
tainly seems established that the spirit 
world is often conscious of many things 
before they transpire on earth, and that 
it was to be his fate." 

Mrs. Rogers' experience as a medium 
and healer has extended over a period of 
more than twenty-five years, and is re- 
plete with interesting incidents and facts, 
but a few of which can be given in a 
brief sketch. Enough could be related 
to fill a large volume. Although the pio- 
neer medium on this Coast, she is still 
actively engaged in public work 



MRS. ESTHER DYE 



Mrs. Esther Dye, the subject of this 
sketch, was born on March 6th, 1852, at 
Athica, Fountain Co., Indiana. Her 
parents being strict Methodists, she was 
brought up and schooled in their faith. 
She remained loyal to her early training 
until overwhelming evidence of spirit 
power by the occult forces back of her 
compelled her to acknowledge the truth 
of Spiritualism. This, of couise, cut her 
oft from fellowship in the "church of her 
fathers," and she was destined, as many 
others have been, to run, the gamut of 
social and religious ostracism. But she 
was being "led in away she knew not, 7 .' 
and unseen hands were shaping her 
future, and waking to life her latent 
powers. They were moulding her for 
use in the cause of humanity, and endow- 
ing her with the old-time "gifts of heal- 
ing." 

Esther Dye, or, as her spirit guides 
call her, "Esther the Healer," was born 
a medium. Though she did not under- 
stand it at first, yet she can now look 
back and recognize many evidences of 
her medial powers, such as are usually 
experienced in incipient development. 
Not until within the last six years have 
those gifts been utilized understanding^ 
in the ^reat work to which she has been 
set apart by the spirit world. In 1888 
and 1889 her development was so rapid 
that she at once began to diagnose 
disease clairvoyantly and to heal the sick 
"by the laying on of hands," magnetizing 
garments, papers, etc., with increasing 
power and success up to the present time. 
Many very remarkable cures have been 
effected, through her instrumentality, of 
persons pronounced beyond all hope by 
distinguished and reputable physicians. 
Hundreds of testimonials can be furnished 
in confirmation of the above statement. 

Mr. S. D. Dye, her husband, is kept 
busy attending to her books, answering 
letters from every section of the country, 
and sending magnetized pads to those of 
her patients whom she treats at a distance. 
She has an army of friends and acquaint- 



ances who love and esteem her for her 
many noble traits of character. 

She is always in closest sympathy with 
her patients, and her large and generous 
heart ever throbs for the afflictions and 
woes of others, while with open hand she 
delights to give liberally to the deserving 
poor. The intelligences who heal through 
her are too exalted and humane to allow 
their chosen instrument to prostitute 
mediumship to mere money getting and 
feeding the insatiate greed of avarice. 
They recognize that "the lust of money 
is the root of all evil," and that the holy 
cause of human weal is sadly crippled 
through this debasing agency. Hence 
they have elevated their medium far 
above its baneful influence, and they 
propose to thus deliver her from all evil, 
and wonderfully augment her power for 
good in the years to come. 
. It has been Mrs. Dye's most cherished 
desire for years to be able to establish a 
healing institute in Los Angeles, her 
home city, where the land is watered by 
silver streams running through groves of 
golden fruit, and where the air is redolent 
with the sweet perfume of the lemon and 
orange, and ever blooming flowers. But 
her extreme liberality to the deserving 
poor has hitherto kept her too poor to 
accomplish the desire of her heart. 
However, the spirit forces promise she 
will yet realize her wish, and the structure 
be completed in the near future. The 
author of this brief sketch would fain 
paint with well chosen words her many 
virtues, and set them as sparkling gems 
in a coronet of gold, or plant them as 
choice exotics by the "Fountains of 
waters," that sweet memories like in- 
cense may rise, and the hearts be kept 
full, and the love fresh in those who have 
shared her heaven appointed benefac- 
tions. May many others of earth's sick 
and sorrowing ones find health and com- 
fort through her healing ministrations, 
and be led to recognize that the age of 
so-called miracles has not passed. 




."NIKS. ESTHER DYE. 




MRS. F. A. LOGAN. 



MRS. F. A. LOGAN 



MediuMj Heai.er and Speaker. 



Mrs. Logan was born in Skaneatlas, 
Onondago Co., N, V., in August, 1S22. 
Her father, a Baptist minister, settled in 
Wisconsin in 1841. 

In the winter of 1S50 she investigated 
Spiritualism and commenced writing 
communications in poetry for her lriends, 
acquaintances and strangers, giving 
much consolation to the bereaved and 
sorrowing; but not until she withdrew 
from the Church and from a bondage 
still more severe, did she become an in- 
spirational speaker and take the platform 
in 1865. After visiting New York City 
and becoming a member of the Progres- 
sive Lyceum, even to the promotion to 
the leadership of Liberty Group, did she 
obey the spirits' promptings, to plead the 
of human freedom from everything 
which Cramps <<r degrades the souls and 
bodies of mankind. 

SI.-- started with her recommendations 
and was successful in organizing ; 
urns, but more frequently star armies, 
and temperance and literary 

After lecturing on tin- line <>f railroad 
in the principal towns and cities <>i Min- 

:, she wa- mad-- the Stat-- Mission- 

ary and ordained to solemnize mai 1 
and to pn-a h the gospel "t glad tidings 
wherever she went. 

After fulfilling her mission the 
started down the Mississippi, le< turing in 

the river towns on "\ Pie 1 for 

Rights," an original, poetical le< tun 
riving at St. Louis, she gave an original, 

poetical lecture, which -in- had memo 
rized, on the "Last, Present and Future," 



which had been well received in several 
cities. She travelled extensively through- 
out Illinois and Wisconsin, and 
again to New York, stopping in si 
towns in Canada, Michigan, Ohio and 
Pennsylvania; everywhere restoring 
one to health, by the healing power with 
which .she seemed particularly gifted. 

The reader has but to examine h( 
timonials and scrap-books t 
yinced of this indefatigable workei 
cess as healer and lecturer. W 
insert one or two ol the many and won- 
derful testimonials obun-s, tendered her 
in her journeyings from grateful hearts. 

New York Ci 1 v. fune so. 1 
but just t«. the public th.it I state up. 
I had Putrid Erysipelas all over m 
and head. A council of five phj i 
pronounced my case hopeless; I must 

11 was « ailed in to w ilness 

th<- dissolution of soul and body, 
by her magnetic hands 1 was ■ 

ind b\ hei treatment in a 
few d 1 ble t<> pack my ti unl 

May God's bi attend hei 

w herever she goes, i"i ft ;h and 

pun- intent be 1 oned, th< 

none be more ti ulj fitted than 

her w 

I-mii \ C. Di 

San fosi . I ' ; 

: id rheumatism in m> left limb 

'ul Mis 

I n < ame int 

and healer. With 

her. J'i tw enty min 

tirely c nied, an ' >d run 

as blitl hen in my youth 

Cm 
Consumption, 



MRS. F. A. LOGAN 



seemed to recede at once under her 
hands. Call the power by whatever name 
you please, mind cure or anything else, 
it makes but little difference about names. 
Mrs. L. believed that she had the assist- 
ance of angel guides, not only in healing 
but in her journeyings, and unmistakable 
spiritual power accompanied her in all 
her public work, until hundreds have 
been healed, several of the States trav- 
ersed, and over 2,000 lectures given, me- 
niums developed by the potent, silent 
force accompanying the application of her 
hands to the forehead and base of the 
brain. Strangers, whom she had never 
met before, applying to her for treatment, 
have been entranced at the first sitting, 
and described the beauties of the spirit 
world. Some have been developed to 
sing and play inspirationally, some to 
heal and some for speaking and writing. 

One little girl, ten years old (whose 
elder brother had died not having been 
converted to the Christian religion, was 
mourned by the Baptist mother as eter- 
nally lost,) becam? entranced and des- 
cribed her brother as perfectly happy in 
his beautiful spirit home, which brought 
joy and comfort to the bereaved, such as 
they had failed to obtain in their church. 
Mrs. Logan has no time to idle away on 
loolish fashions or display, as her heart 
is full of sympathy for he afflicted and 
unfortunate ones of earth. In her travels 
she has visited reform schools, jails and 
penitentiaries, delivering addresses, dis- 
tributing reform literature, and speaking 
words of sympathy and encouragement 
to the inmates. 

Very many towns were visited before 
reaching our golden shores in 1874. 

The following tribute was tendered her 
after her first lecture in San Francisco, 
which will give the reader somewhat of 
an idea of the subject matter of the dis- 
course: 

San Francisco, July 13, 1874. 

Mrs. F. A. Logan: 

Dear Madam— Having for 
many years believed that a purified pub- 
lic sentiment and feeling would ultimate 
from the teachings and moral force of 
woman, it was with unfeigned pleasure I 
listened to your poetic lecture delivered 



in Grand Central Hall, in this city, on the 
12th inst., so graphically descriptive of 
scenes, incidents, and illustrations of 
"Life in the Great Metropolis of Our 
Country, New York City." 

A lecture so instructive and replete 
with interest, clothed as it is with argu- 
ment, eloquence and appeal, while being 
fully appreciated by the thinking, intel- 
lectual and morally cultured, must also 
be felt as a stern rebuke to the dissi- 
pation, profligacy, shams and hypocrisy 
of the age. 

Wishing you success in your work of 
faith and labor of love in this land of 
progress and prophetic greatness, 
I remain, Yours in the bond of common 
humanity, James Battersby, 

Late Pres. Lyceum of Self Culture. 

Mrs. L. has not sought notoriety by 
visiting large cities only, but has gone 
into districts, towns, and hamlets, in the 
mountains and in the valleys, believing 
that there were jewels and pearls of im- 
mortal worth in the humblest home, or 
beneath a tattered coat and faded dress; 
and nothing grieves her more than cold 
formality, or the pomposity apparent 
everywhere, in all ranks of society. She 
deeply appreciates the kindly words of 
sympathy, the cordial welcome to hospit- 
able hearts and homes that she has re- 
ceived during the twenty years of mis- 
sionary life through the Eastern States, 
Oregon, Washington Territory, British 
Columbia, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah and 
Colorado. While in Leadville she held 
a public discussion with a very well-read 
M. D. on the conscious individuality of 
the soul after what is (so-called) death; 
not winning his point, he acknowledged 
that he himself had felt the presence of 
individualized immortal spirits. 

Mrs. L. could furnish volumes of inter- 
esting incidents of her travels throughout 
the States and in our picturesque golden 
California. 

During a trip to Yosemite Valley and 
the mammoth trees, she stopped to give 
a temperance lecture in Vallicito, in the 
church at 11 a. m., Sunday. The clergy- 
man and his wife had made arrangements 
and kindly entertained and introduced 
her. Discovering that her audience was 
composed mostly of women and children 
she proposed that they all march down 



MRS. F. A. LOCiAN 



i'3 



to the largest saloon and give the lecture 
there. Suiting the action to the word, 
the dignified minister, with his better half 
by his side, and the entire congregation, 
all marched to the open door of the 
saloon. The keeper's dark Italian eyes 
nearly pierced the leader of this little 
army through; but knowing in whom to 
put her trust (the power that never fail- 
eth,) she simply said: "Please allow us 
to hold our meeting in your place of bus- 
iness. We will not detain you long." 

The keeper put down his billiard cue, 
and placed the seats around the room. 
His wife came in, and all being seated, the 
drunkards remaining also, Mrs. L,, after 
a short invocation, said, " We have not 
come here to find fault with your saloon 
or your business, for it is a legitimate 
business. You are licensed by our Gov- 
ernment to pursue it. But we would 
appeal to the better natures of individuals 
and ask them to not engage in orpatron- 
ize anything that would wrong anotherin 
any way whatever, for the wrong would 
certainly rebound upon the wrong-doer. 1 ' 

During the lecture tears coursed down 
the faces of the most obdurate drunkards 
in the audience, and all expressed their 
thanks to the speaker, not only from their 
tear-dimmed eyes, but by a generous do- 
nation, which is not a small item to the 
one who is living and laboring for the 
good of souls, with no permanent home 
except in the hearts of the people and on 
the evergreen shore of the hereafter. 

Mrs. L.'s spiritualistic ideas embrace 
all reforms, and her most popular lec- 
tures are on Spiritualism, Temperance, 
Cause and Cureof Disease, the Relation 
Man Sustains to Woman Legally, So- 
cially and Morally, and Four Poetical 
Lectures, and one on ('in urnMaii 

Th<- subject of this sketch has Indonv 
itable perseverance to carry out her spii 
itual impressions against all obstacles, 

as instanced in getting up the first spirit 

ual camp meeting on our shores, in 
October, [884. By obeying the still, 
small voice, an interest w is awakened 

in other souls on the same plane of un 

foldment, and a grand, successful meet- 
ing lasting twelve days was the result. 



Her only brother, Walter Hyde, pre- 
sided over thirty-six sessions in such a 
way that harmony prevailed, mediums 
were developed, the humblest, the young 
and the old, the rich and the poor, were 
considered of equal importance in the 
mind of the chairman, as well as by the 
spirit helpers, and a harmonious organ- 
ization was effected for future campmeet- 
ings. 

Mrs. L. does not claim to be a seer or 
prophetess, but we find in her book of 
miscellaneous poems a prophecy written 
in 1875, of the electric lights, and form 
materialization, besides other gems en- 
titled, " Poor Little Barefoot," "Mam- 
moth Trees of California," " Compan- 
ionless," and " Reasons Why I Became 
a Spiritualist," etc. 

Mrs. Logan has a special gift for the 
development of mediums; and now sev- 
eral, who were comparatively obscttre 
before, are giving remarkable tests from 
the platform, and begin to feel that they 
can secure halls and audiences without 
her assistance. 

For several years past Mrs. Logan has 
conducted a Sunday morning meeting in 
San Francisco which is called the "Circle 
of Harmony.'' at which a free platform 
is maintained where all are allowed to 
give expression to their best thought, 

unrestricted as to time of topic, when 
subjects of genera] interest are di» ussed 
in a friendly, courteous manner. The 

timid and retiring have been em ..uiagcd 

and stimulated to put forth their best en 

deaVOrS and develop latent talents. 

Many mediumistic gifts have been unfold- 
ed and the happy p< foi ti> 
to labor in the spii itual * ineyard, 

Mis. Logan feels that spei ial 
should be taken to not hinder the 
world from communing with this by arbi« 

tiaiy 1 ules and < < le 1, 

the 1 .1 •• a ben n< >ne but populai 
rrs ai ed, and no opportunity 

.itt> ad' (l for spii itual i ommunion it» h as 
might frequently b l through 

some limit • n I in 

1 in le ot I in mony parti* ulai « are 
is taken to all< nd unresi 

spiiit com mu nil ation through -ms instru* 



u 



MRS. F. A. LOGAN 



in- nt the angel world may select. Some- 
limes such messages voice beautiful 
truths clothed in beautiful language; and 

■1 other times they express but the crud- 

: the spirit and the medium through 
whom the mes given. In medi- 

umshipMrs. Logan recognizes the appli- 
cation of the saying that "a child must 

before it cm walk," and is willing 
to extend the helping hand and give the 

of encouragement to the young and 
inexperienced medium who tremblingly 
stands upon the platform for the lirst 
lime, feat ful lest the sustaining influence 
should be withdrawn, and their own 
weakness become apparent to the audi- 
ence. Many <>! our present-day workers 
on the Pacific Coast are indebted to Mrs. 
Logan for having opened a door and pre- 
pared a place where they could give forth 
their first impressions from the spirit side 
and feel assured that their feeble efforts 
would meet with approval and encour- 
ent until they grew strong and self- 
confident to go out into other fields of 
work and usefulness. 

Logan has published four original 

il lectures and her sister's book ot 
"Prophetic Visions and Spirit communi- 
cations." Her ready pen, by the aid of 



invisible intelligences, has given comfort 
to many hearts, and also diagnosed dis- 
eases and given a reasonable explanation 
of the case as instanced in the many 
communications received from patients 
whom she has treated personally, and 
also by spiritual science methods, when 
many miles intervened between the pa- 
tient and the healer. The success in 
either case has always been most phe- 
nomenal. 

Mrs. Logan realizes, as all writers do, 
that it is impossible to put into a brief 
autobiography all the struggles, trials 
and triumphs of a soul laboring inces- 
santly for the good of humanity. Subject 
to temptations and all the ills of mortal 
life, and now, when silver threads crown 
the brow of this veteran worker in her 
seventy-third year, she can look back 
over a life hallowed with blessed deeds 
and noble service in the cause of truth, 
right and justice. She calmly awaits the 
results of her life labors, and with Alice 
Cary says: 

"My past is mine and 1 take it all, 
Its follies, its weaknesses if you please, 
Nay, even my sins if you come to that, 
May have been my helps, not hindrances." 






LOIS WAISBROOKER. 



-AI.TTHOR AX 13 EDITOR. 



That Mrs. Schleslnger desires to put 
me into her book as one of the Workers 
in the vineyard of reform, is of itself 
sufficient honor, and as I desire to live 
more in my work than in my person- 
ality, and further, as I shrink from 
having my name go to posterity coupled 
with the too partial estimate of friends 
who are Inclined to enlarge virtues and 
forget faults, I will myself say what 
needs to be said, hut it will necessarily 
be more of my general than of my Cal- 
ifornia work. 

As to myself, I made my entrance 
into this life on the -1st day of Febru- 
ary, 1828, in the town of Catherine, 
Schuyler I 'ounty then a part of Tiuga) 
\. Y., as the first of -even children 
born to Caroline and (liandisen Ni- 
chols. 

My mother's maiden name was Reed, 
and though their children were all 
Methodists, her father and mother were 
among the flrsl [Tniversalists <>f the 
country. It was my talks with my 

Pindfal her t in- summer of his eighty- 
ftrsl year, which helped to break me 

from the bondage of church teachings. 

The de.ith of a brot hei i n-la w, with 

the circumstances attending, had pre- 
pared the way lor bis woi.lv to take 
effect. This brother-in-law, who was a 
good husband, son and brother, died 
believing he was going to hell, because 
he had never been converted. 

The first links broken, the investiga- 
tion of Spiritualism in 1856 completed 
I the work bo well begun. Among the 
ftrsl evidences received was acominu- 



My parents were poor, uneducated, 
hard-working people, my father sup- 
porting his family as a day laborer— a 
wage slave — and as a matter of course 
my advantages were but few. It is the 
memory of my father's unrequited toil, 
of how much he did and how little lie 
received, which intensities my opposi- 
tion to an opposition to an economic 
system which so robs the toiler. 

My parents gave me the name of 
Adeline Eliza, but when at twenty- 
eight years of age I began to write over 
the signature of "Lois," my friends 
commenced calling me that, and 1 soon 
adopted it; so it is now nearly forty 
years since [discarded my baptismal 
name, as I have since discarded Chris- 
tianity in all its forms. The good con- 
nected with it belongs to universal hu- 
manity, not t<> a Bed of people who 

have shed riveis of blood to enforce 

their propaganda. 

I was always called peculiar. How 

much of that peculiarity belongs to 

myself, and bow much of it comes 

from the influence of those who were 
once denizens of earth, and who now 

hold me lo the work for which they 

have helped to prepare me, I cannol 
say, but I bave always wanted to write. 
The school composition, as it was 
called, while a terror to many, was a 
pleasure t<> m< 
And now, dismissing myself as far as 

possible, turn t<> that in which I have 
lived mOSt, to I bat which I ha - 

impelled to write. My ftrsl effort out- 
Bide the newspaper column was an an- 
il ilavery Sabbath school book called 



i 16 



I.OIS WAISBROOKER 



• Mary and Ellen; or, The Orphan 
< Hrla," w hlch, the last I knew of it, 
was being extensively used In the Sab- 
bath schools of our Uongregationalist 
friends, I being at the time of its wri- 
ting a member of that church. 

My second book, "Alice Vale," was 
written to illustrate Spiritualism. It 
ifl dow out of print, as is " May weed 
Blossoms. " a collection of fugitive 
s, of which I thought more than 
did others, as the nieagreness of its sale 
pr »\(m1, and also, as is "Nothing Like 
1 1 ; or, Steps to the Kingdom," an earn- 
est but somewhat crude effort to give a 
glimpse of purity in freedom, in the 
relation of the sexes. 

Those will probably never be reissued. 

"Helen Harlow's Vow" was written 
to -how that woman should refuse to 
submit to the injustice which condemns 
her, and accepts the man for the same 
act— the heroine determining tha* she 
will not -ink because she has foolishly 
trusted; that she will be just to herself 
if others are unjust to her. She main- 
tains her self-respect, and in the end 
commands the respect of all who know 7 
her. 

"Perfect Motherhood; or, Mabel Ray- 
mond's Resolve," does not trench upon 
the province of the physician, but takes 
up tin* conditions of society which 
make it Impossible that mothers shall 
transmit, through the law of heredity, 
the elements of character which, un- 
folded, would give the world a superior 
i SOS Of meu and women. 

"The Occult Forces of Sex" Is a work 

\\iii<'b is more valued each year, in 

P I Of Which I will state that the 

'it' i the last part was written, 

Bomel blng over Ave j ears since, there 
I ban 200 sold with my per- 
sonal effort, added to what was done 
by others; but during the lasl two years 
encouraging In the 
me. 

Phil little book consists Of three 

• written in Battle 
tflohlgan, in is:.;, and called 
3 i Question ami the Money 



Power;" the second at Riverside, Cali- 
fornia, in 18S0, and called "From Gen- 
eration to Regeneration," (and really 
the most valuable of my California 
work), and the third at Milwaukee, 
Oregon, in 1889, and called "The Tree 
of Life Between Two Thieves." 

I have good evidence that Alexander 
von Humboldt, his brother William, 
Mrs. Hemans, Lady Mary Wortley 
Montague, and two or three others 
whose names I have forgotten, assisted 
me, not only in writing the work pre- 
pared at Riverside, but they are still 
with me when I attempt to get clearer, 
purer views of the finer forces of the 
sex. I received the communication 
with the names given through Dr. J- 
V. Mansfield, and signed by Von Hum- 
boldt. Permission was given to use 
the names in connection with the 
work, but the letter being lost in my 
attempt to send it to Dr. J. Rodes Bu- 
chanan for psychometrization, I have 
never before given the name to the 
public. This second pamphlet is put 
first in the book. 

"A Sex Revolution" was written in 
1862. It puts motherhood to the front, 
demands that "women take the lead'» 
till the conditions for a higher grade of 
motherhood are obtained. 

Another work issued recently is the 
"Fountain of Life, or the Threefold 
Power of Sex." 

I have also essayed the newspaper 
business or method of scattering 
thought. " Our Age, Ours — the Peo- 
ples'," was issued at Battle Creek, 
Michigan, till forty-two numbers were 
sent out. Then the financial crisis of 
1873-4 forced a suspension. 

"Foundation Principles," issued from 
Clinton, la., in 18S4, and afterwards re- 
moved to Antioch, California, was car- 
ried into the fourth volume, when it 
suspended for a time, but was finally 
resumed after I had located in Topeka, 
Kansas. 

I do not know what the future of 
this life has for me, but this I do know 
— that I shall never consider my work 



LOIS WAISBROOKJER 



17 



done so long as I have the strength to 
do, and the privilege of doing more — 
and — 

Whenever I'm called, I gladly will go, 
My lessons of wisdom to learn over 

there; 
Then back I will hasten, to help lift 

this earth 
Out of its ignorance, sorrow and care- 
Will aid it to cast oft its sorrow and 

care, 
For I could not remain in a world filled 

with bliss 



While rivers of sorrow were rolling 
thro' this. 

Yours, for the Work, 

Lois Waisbrookkk. 
P. S. — I have forgotten one thing. 
So many will ask: Was she ever mar- 
ried ? I have been twice married, have 
two children and six grandchildren, 
but 1 have lived so long alone, and 
there is so much questioning if mar- 
riage be not a failure, that married or 
single scarcely ever enters my thought. 

L. W. 



MRS. MAGGIE WAITE. 



Among the mediums developed in 
California, Mrs Maggie Waite i3 one 
of the mo9l reliable for platform tests, 
giving namea readily and correctly, 
and describing spirit forms accurately. 
Winn under spirit influence she is 
both clairvoyant and olairaudient, and 
verbal m rom the spirits 

without hesitation, and usually to the 
entire satisfaction of the investigator. 
Miv Waite was bom in the city of 
New York, August 31, 1561, but at five 
of auc was taken by her parents 
m Francisco. She received her' 
education in a convent in California, 
and as a child knew nothing of Spirit- 
q. Although it is sixteen years 
or more since Bhe was first informed 
that Bhe would Bometime become a me- 
dium, it is only within the last few 
that the development of her 
>m me need. In answer to 
questions concerning her experience) 
M rs. Wait 

My flrsl knowledge of Spiritualism 
was received when fourteen years of 
age. A lady invited me to accompany 
her i ce given by Mrs. Ada 

I on in- the seance a pair of in- 
• liauds encircled my waist, and 
lifting me from my chair, placed me 
■ . I was much frightened- 
Mrs, Foye endeavored to allay my fear, 

i thai I would become 

••"' ll for the spirit world. 

ter attending Mrs. 

isionally heard raps 

bul resolutely refused to no- 

- Qi Saving been br< ught up 

"v Infancy Id the Catholic faith, 

I the manifestations l had 



witnessed to be the work of the Devil, 
and consequently resolved to have no 
more to do with such things. I avoid- 
ed Spiritualism and Spiritualists for 
years after that. Meantime I met Mr. 
Edwin Waite, whom I married in the 
Catholic faith, June 19, 1871. We had 
been married about three months, when 
my husband told me that his grand- 
mother, who had passed into spirit life 
a year and a half previous, appeared to 
him and told him that in a few years 
everything would come out all right, 
having reference to the mediumistic 
work I am now engaged in. 

"After the birth of my first child, I 
began to see spirits around the cradle, 
but did not at first recognize them as 
spirits. They seemed like persons in 
this life, and I wondered how they got 
there. I was afraid someone had en- 
tered the house. One night I was sud- 
denly awakened from my sleep, and 
looking up, saw standing at the door- 
way a white-robed form. The figure 
made a gesture with her right arm 
three times in succession, as if beckon- 
ing me to come. Some of my friends, 
to whom I related the circmstances, 
const rued it as a warning of my early 
death; but my dear friend, Mrs. Jennie 
Daniels, had just passed into spirit life, 
and although I did not recognize the 
form, 1 was assured by her mother that 
it was Jennie, and that she had ap- 
peared to another person at about the 
sanre time. My friend's mother was a 
Spiritualist, a fact of which I was not 
then informed. Not fully crediting 
the statement, I made no further in- 
quiry; and as my visions soon ceased, 




MRS. MAGGIE WAIT! 



MRS. MAGGIE YVAITE 



119 



I thought no more of Spiritualism for 
about six years. In 1889, on passing 
Metropolitan Temple, one day, I no- 
ticed a poster announcing a test seance 
by John Slater. My curiosity being 
aroused, I entered the Temple, and on 
the following evening attended a se- 
ance at Slater's house. Among the 
Usts the medium gave was one which 
puzzled me. He related a conversation 
which had occurred between myself 
and husband in our house that morn- 
ing, giving some of the exact words 
my husband had used. I wondered 
what power— other than spirit— could 
possibly have conveyed such informa- 
tion to the medium, and 1 determined 
to investigate the subject. 

After some inquiry, I found a medi- 
um who held circles for development. 
1 attended, and at the first sitting my 
hand commenced to move independent 
of my own volition; and paper and 
pencil being given me, my hand not 
myself— began to write. The first mes- 
sage w;t< a- much of a surprise to the 
medium as to myself, as it was from a 
drar friend of his, who bad passed 
away in Los Angeles, giving his name 

in full— one I had never before beard. 

More perplexed than ever, I deter- 
mined to fathom the mystery, and con- 
tinued my investigations, mainly by 
private sittings in my own house. This 
continued for ;< year or more, when, 
one evening, while sitting at the table 
with a few friends, I began to feel that 
I was losing consciousness. Yielding 
to the influence, I was Boon asleep, and 
knew not what occurred. On awaken- 
ing my friends told me I had been en- 
tranced by the Bpiril of an Indian girl, 
who gave her name as Pohontas. 
This was on the 20th of November, 1890. 
Pohontas is on.- of my guides .-it the 
present time, controlling me mainly 

during my sittings at home. 

"The next imi lie nee that came to me 
\\ as that of a little girl, \\ ho passed 
away in Sacramento two year- before, 
when she was five years of age. She 
told my friends I being unconscious) 



that her name was Maude Phillips; 
that she was born in Sacramento, giv- 
ing the street and number. Deter- 
mined to ascertain if the statement was 
true or false, I wrote to the the person 
whose address was given, and to my 
surprise received in reply a letter from 
her parents, stating that they had a 
child of that name and age, who passed 
away at the time stated. Shortly af- 
terward the father and mother came to 
San Francisco on business, and called 
on me to make further inquiry in re- 
gard to the letter I had written them. 
They were very ignorant of Spiritual- 
ism. I tried to explain how it was pos- 
sible for their daughter to control me, 
but they seemed unable to comprehend, 
so I said that if they would sit quietly 
awhile, I would see if she could control 
me, and they might have the opportu- 
nity of talking with her through me. 
The father, in a very determined man- 
ner, said he would not listen to any- 
thing of the kind, and that if he ever 
heard again that 1 had called back his 
dead, he would have me prosecuted! 
They were horrified at the thought of 
such sacrilege, and left me with in- 
junctions never to dare do anything of 
the kind again. 

"This spirit continued to come to me, 
and not long after the visit of her pa. 
rents, she stated that if I would go to 

a photographer and have my picture 

taken, she would try to appear on the 

plate. I did so, and when the picture 
was developed was delighted to find a 

spirit form beside my own. After- 
wards, at one of my circles', a lady was 
present who resided next door bo the 

parents of -tin- little -iii in Sacramento. 
The spirit came, and to prove her iden- 
tity, called the lady by name. Mini told 
her all about herself and family. Tin- 
lady had known the child well, up to 
the time of her transition to spirit life, 
and w hen I -lowed her t he plot lire she 

recognized it at once as the likeness of 
the child. 1 flighted as I had been to 
obtain the photograph in the manner 

I did, its recognition by a friend of the 



120 



MRS. MAGGIE WAITE 



child gave me still greater satisfaction 
and joy. The Bplrit continues to con- 
trol me at times, and is always wel- 
oomed as intelligent and trustworthy, 
although passing away at so early an 

•Hi. next spirit to attach himself to 
me ;,- one of my guides gave his name 
a- William Ualston— whether "Ralston 
the banker" or Ralston the beggar I 
know not; neither do I care, so long as 
he renders service satisfactory to my- 
self and to the angel world. I do not 
to know the history of controlling 
spirits, further than they choose to give 
it in proof of their identity. If they 
give more it is because they wish to do 
BO for reasons of their own, or to satisfy 
friends with whom they communicate. 
When this spirit first controlled me I 
felt the condition of a drowning per- 
son, suffering the agonies of one strug- 
gling and suffocating in the water. 
Thta unpleasant feeling soon ceased, 
and now the spirit controls easily and 
agreeably, and has become my princi- 
pal guide for platform work, assisting 
mt with what success those who have 
attended my public seances know." 

Mi> Waitehad no desire to become 
a public medium; but it was a work re- 
quired of her by her spirit friends; and 
she consented only after becoming con- 
vinced that to do so would be giving aid 
ami comfort toothers. The communi- 
cation- received through her while in 
com-, of development gave such satis- 
faction to those in the circle that she 
concluded to give her time and strength 
to the S/Ol B bul as this necessarily in- 
ii li ber dutli - to herself aud 



family, she began to accept pay for pri- 
vate sittings. Her services as platform 
test medium were given freely in pub- 
lic until July, 1892, when she was em- 
ployed by the Society of Progressive 
Spiritualists, in whose service she did 
grand work on the platform. 

During the past three years Mrs. 
Waite has traveled extensively through- 
out the Eastern States, visiting many 
of the principal cities and attending 
the great camp-meetings. Her public 
work has been the subject of many 
flattering notices from the secular and 
Spiritualistic press. She has also re- 
ceived the highest commendations 
from the various societies for which 
she has labored, from the East to the 
West, 

Mrs. Waite enters into the work as- 
signed to her by the angel world with 
a sincere and earnest desire to do good, 
and convey to doubting and unhappy 
souls a knowledge of the future life 
that will bring peace, comfort and a 
satisfaction not to be found in any of 
the creeds or beliefs of the past. May 
she meet with that appreciation and 
support in her public labors that her 
gifts deserve, and never feel that her 
labor is in vain. That spirits and mor- 
tals may unite in upholding her willing 
hands, giving her the heartfelt sympa- 
thy and encouragement needful to sus- 
tain her in every trial, and thus bear 
her safely above the storms of persecu- 
tion aud sorrow that are the inevitable 
lot of every pioneer in reform move- 
ment, is the sincere wish of her many 
warm friends. 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON. 



INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER, POET AND WRITER. 



Mrs. Elizabeth Lowe Watson was born 
in Solon, Ohio, October 6, 1843. Her 
father, Abraham Lowe, was of Teutonic 
descent, born in New York, and her 
grandfather, of the Knickerbocker type, 
had large landed possessions in "Old 
Manhattan Town.'' Her mother was of 
Scotch stock. Her grandmother, Mary 
Daniels, was a remarkably intelligent 
woman, with a poetic religious tempera- 
ment, possessed of psychic gifts, the 
nature of which was then a profound mys- 
tery. 

The beginning of her knowledge of 
Spiritualism was at the age of seven 
years. One day at the school she attend- 
ed there came mysterious sounds on the 
desks. The children wondered who 
made them. They were sitting with their 
backs to the teacher, who finally said: 
"Children, turn around upon your scats," 
but still the raps continued. 

She drew one child after another on to 
the lloor until she came to little Libbie, 
and her she seated in a (hair in the mid- 
dle of the room; still the rap- continued. 
As the children were returning home 
that day, they laid their hands upon the 

ro< ks, when those mysterious raps were 

heard as plainly as Upon the desks at 

school. When home u,i 1 1 cm hed they 

hurst in upon the mother with great won- 

derment, saying, "L is making the 

raps'." And the good woman did not 
know at first what to do; but finally said 
to herself, **God would not send to my 
innocent little child an evil one to tor- 



ment her and me. I have tried to live a 
good life and obey His commands. Why 
should He let the Devil in upon my little 
sheep fold?" And she sat down to the 
table and " tried the spirits." For two 
weeks the mother scarcely slept, so anx- 
ious was she to know the secret of this 
power, and if it was really what it 
claimed to be. Sometimes it purported 
to be Libbie's little departed sister, some- 
times neighbors and friends, and always 
claimed to be a disembodied spirit, 
anxious to make itself known and to tell 
something of that mysterious land be- 
yond the grave. The result was the 
mother's conversion to Spiritualism, and 
a great scandal, of course, in the neigh- 
borhood. People said that the dear, 
good woman hat! been deceived, for the 
Bible declares the very elect are liable to 
delusion. Friends and neighbors gath- 
ered in to investigate; some were con- 
vinced, while some called it this thing, 
some that. 

For several years the family lived the 
ordinary life of country people; hearing 
strange reports of spiritualistic phenom- 
ena, but not witnessing any of the mys- 
terious occurrences, wlicnat length there 
came through Elizabeth anothei manifi s- 
tation oi the peculiar power, this time in 
the form of 1 ranee. Sitting with her 
mother and sisters around the tab 
home, she felt a strange inflm n< e sweep- 
ing over her; the second time thai they 
formed a "circle" she was entranced and 
began to quote Scripture and to discourse 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



OH various topics. It became noised 
abroad. Evening after evening people 
crowded the house to hear the sermons 
of the child, then thirteen years of age. 
But after a brief period she resisted the 
influence. She saw that her young mates 
n to look upon her as something 
uncanny; her great ambition to become 
a school teacher was going to be thwart- 
ed il she continued to serve as a medi- 
um; she begged her mother not to insist 
upon her yielding to the influence, and 
the mother consented. But finally the 
unseen intelligences got the mastery, and 
at fourteen years of age her public min- 
istry began. It may be noted here that 
she never went to school more than lour 
or five years altogether. 

" I never heard a spirit rap except at 
home," Mrs. Watson tells us, "nor saw 
a trance medium until years after my own 
psychic development. I was compelled, 
by the phenomena which followed me 
everywhere, to leave school at thirteen 
of age, and this was the first real 
grief of my life. My ambition was to 
teach; the good genius of our district 
school had become interested in my 
and promised to use her influence 
in my behalf; my mediumship frustrated 
all of my most cherished plans — and I 
well remember the bitter tears I shed 
when it was decided that I must give up 
school, while dear, faithful, believing 
mother replied to my remonstrances and 
My child, you will be a teacher 
of gray-haired nun and women if you 
will only consent to be guided by the 
Is. " 

•| was first entranced in a home circle 

and almost immediately began to speak 

au < onscious state, from scriptural 

usually chosen by my audiences 

\\ln< h were < omprised of neighbors and 

friends for the first few weeks; but soon 

the < rowds <>t listeners were „ , great 

that we adjourned to an old Methodist 

church (otherwise usually vacant] and 

fpom tint day < alls i amc to me from 

lion. Si hool-houses, barns, 

niversalist chun hes and every 

available place foi a hundred i 



around, was utilized, it being a common 
thing at that time for people to drive 
twenty miles or more to hear a morning 
lecture. I was at this time a frail, slender 
girl of fourteen years of age, whom the 
neighbors said would not live three 
months; but much to their astonishment 
(and I fear to the disappointment of not 
a few pious souls) I thrived under the tax 
of three lectures every Sunday and often 
four or five daring the week, and at 
eighteen years had almost a perfect phys- 
ique. My father relinquished farm life 
and devoted his time to me, as constant 
and ever watchful escort, and I do not 
remember missing an engagement in the 
four years during which we were never 
separated. Through summer heat and 
the most terrible winter storms we drove 
long distances and always found large 
audiences awaiting us, although it re- 
quired a goodly degree of courage at 
that period to attend a spiritualistic lec- 
ture." 

She was both too ignorant and too in- 
nocent to understand the awfulness of the 
tales that were circulated at this time by 
good souls to put down "the devil and 
his works." The stories that caused her 
friends to weep and wring their hands, 
passed over her head as lightly as thistle 
down. "The neighbors said, "She is 
studying her sermons," and declared 
that she quoted whole lectures from A.J. 
Davis and others, lectures of which she 
had never heard. Some said that she 
was a remarkably smart child; others 
that she was stupid. Questions of all 
kinds were sent up to the rostrum to be 
answered, and almost universally a com- 
mittee was elected to choose a subject 
upon which the lecture should be based. 
She was told by a gentleman a few years 
ago that he listened to a lecture delivered 
by her when fourteen years of age, upon 
the subject of "The Relation of Matter 
and Spirit" — a subject which was chosen 
by the audience, and that it equalled any 
that he had heard her deliver since. 

In 1S61 she married Johnathan Watson, 
<>iir of the oil kings of Titusville, Penn., 
a gentleman with five children, " rich but 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



> 2 3 



respectable." For severval years there- 
after she retired from public work, ex- 
cept to officiate at funerals and lecture 
occasionally for charitable societies. 

During those years of private lite the 
angel ministry went on. To the sanctu- 
ary of the home the wise teachers often 
came, bringing messages of encourage- 
ment and needed counsel; when great 
emergencies arose, when the new and 
solemn responsibilities weighed tooheav- 
ily, the heavenly light shone clear and 
unmistakable upon the difficult pathway; 
and these angelic ministrations were 
shared by a large circle of fond and ap- 
preciative friends. 

The consciousness that the spirit moth- 
er of the children who were her chief care 
and anxiety, was a co-worker with her, 
lending her sympathy and aid whenever 
possible, was a constant source of com- 
fort and inspiration. 

To the vast enrichment ol her woman- 
hood were added four children, embodi- 
ments of spiritual beauty and the fruitage 
of true love. The following typical 
example of the loving watchfulness of 
spirit friends at this time is narrated by 
Mrs. Watson: "When my first-born was 
but a few months old, I left him 
to spend a lew days with my hus- 
band in New York City. One Satur- 
day night, when too late for the train 
t'> Rochester then oui home), we re- 
ceived a telegram stating that the baby 
dangerously ill. I was young, he 
was my first baby, 'and every mother 
knows what a wonderful thing that is) I 
was wild with grief and (ear. We COUld 

do nothing but telegraph lor particulars 

and wait until the next evening. My 

husband insisted that I should sit lor en- 
train ement and see what our angel 
friends would say, and this was their 
message: "There is no <«<.i-ion tor so 

g| eat an alarm; the < luld is better, and 
now sleeping quietly. They call it ( hol- 
era infantum, but it i^ simply indigi 

please note the time; you will scon 
hear." It was 10:30 o'clock. We re- 
ceived a telegram dated [o o'clock that 
night corroborating our spirit message in 



every particular, and when I reached 
home the facts accentuated its value, 
clearly precluding the possibility of a co- 
incidence. I could fill a volume with 
incidents of a similar character which 
have come under my personal observa- 
tion, tests of clairvoyance, prophecies 
fulfilled, diseases healed, lives saved by 
angelic fore-warnings, interpositions and 
hearts comforted." 

But the joys of maternity were quickly 
shaded by the death of the two youngest 
of the household, by that fearful scourge 
diphtheria, in the space of five months, 
and then for the first time in her life did 
she who had so frequency administered 
the blessed consolations of her faith to 
others under bereavement, know the full 
meaning of the angels' messages. 
Through the agonized mother heart was 
poured a flood of precious assurances; 
to her perception came revelations of 
spiritual truth and beauty. The death- 
chamber of her darlings was illumined 
with a light that " was ne'er on land or 
sea ;" the pall of grief was lifted, and 
angelic presences took the place of her 
vanished babes. 

After many years of phenomenal pros- 
perity, during which time Mr. and Mrs. 
Watson endeared themselves to the com- 
munity in which they resided by their 
hospitality, liberal charities and sympa- 
thetic interest in all humanitarian efforts, 
financial reverses and Mrs. Watson's de- 
clining health brought them to the Pacific 
coast, and Mis. Watson was immediately 

engaged by the First Spiritual Union ol 
San Francisco, as its regular pastor. 
After several years' ministration for this 
51 •< le! \ . she became the settled speakei 
for the ( .olden ( rate Eleligious and Philo- 
sophical Society of San Francisco; and 
for six years she lectured almost con- 
stantly in this city, and with ever-ii 
in- popularity. Her many womanly 
combined with the eloquence 

and power ot her public .n\<\ 

deared her to the hearts ol her con 
tion; and probably no religious teacher 
or pastor in the city was m< >re be 

by his faithful fiock, than was this wom- 



1 - 4 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



an-pastor by the eager-listening auditors, 
who each Sunday hung upon the fervid 
of burning eloquence and beauty 
that rolled from her angel-touched lips in 
almost measureless streams of richest 
harmony and love. Mrs. Watson's so- 
journ in San Francisco was twice broken 
—first by a trip to Australia in 1882, and 
dly by a tour of the East in the 
summer of 1885. In Australia she was 
most cordially received, and everywhere 
ted with large and enthusiastic au- 
diences. Her tour of the East was 
one continued ovation. Whether speak- 
in- in < hurches, halls, or campmeetings, 
crowds of rapt listeners hung upon the 
streams of living eloquence that flowed 
from the inspired lips of "the silver- 
tongued orator of the Golden Gate," as 
she is aptly termed; and her last address 
at the Cassadaga campmeeting waschar- 
a. terized as one of the grandest orations 
that the people had ever been privileged 
to listen to. 

( )wing to financial reverses in the East 
Mrs. Watson, about ten years ago, estab- 
lished her home in California. She pur- 
< based an unimproved ranch — first six- 
. to which was subsequently 
added ten acres more — in Santa Clara 
county, near San Jose. This she has 
most successfully cultivated, beautified 
and adorned. Her lovely home there- 
upon, with its beautiful surroundings, 
has been named bv her "Sunny Brae;" 
II in all, it is a charming little par- 
the admiration and delight of its 

visitor, a\h\ the pride of her friends 

all over the country. One year she sent 

ket one hundred tons of the best 

quality of prunes, always labeled with 

Sunn) Brae" brand, she also 

and other fruits. She 

superintends the entire business herself 

from win. h is derived an annual income 

oi betwe< n loin and five thousand dollars. 

With "Sum ntre, the influ- 

tended far 

and wide in tin- adja< enl country, pene- 

" >'»i" the « onservative ortho- 

■ in all the < ountry round,— 

from h< 1 on 



sociological, reformatory and religious 
themes being constantly solicited from 
"all sorts and conditions of men." Her 
life of usefulness and goodness at " Sun- 
ny Brae" has commanded the respect 
and love of the entire community for 
many, many miles around. 

One of the most potent instrumentali- 
ties to this end has been the annual 
gatherings at " Sunny Brae" under the 
grand old Temple Oak. " In the center 
of the lawn that in front follows its splen- 
did sweep, stands the Temple Oak, — a 
noble tree, spreading its superb branches 
covered with dense foliage fifty feet in. 
every direction from its trunk, making its 
spread about one hundred feet in diam- 
eter." Here for a number of years past, 
on the first Sunday in June, which, says 
Mrs. Watson, "we' call our Memorial 
Day, on which we dedicate our home to 
spiritual services and to the memory of 
our dear unseen," have great crowds 
gathered to listen to an eloquent ad- 
dress from "the little preacher," Mrs. 
Watson, and to enjoy her hospitlity. 
These meetings are anticipated and 
planned for by hundreds of people 
months ahead, and many families 
have made it their memorial day, — bring- 
ing their offerings of loving tnoughts for 
their departed ones to the flower-decked 
altar under the great arches of the living 
Temple, the majestic oak. In 1895 there 
were about 1000 persons in attendance 
upon the June meeting under Temple 
Oak. 

In 1894 Mrs. Lydia A. Coonley, Presi- 
dent of the Woman's Club of Chicago, 
published a graphic description of the 
myriad beauties of charming "Sunny 
Brae," which she had visited a short time 
previously. Following a vivid pen-paint- 
ing of the lovely house and grounds, she 
says, "wonderful, enchanting as is all 
this ministration to the senses, the keen- 
est, most lasting joy comes through the 
personality of the mistress of " Sunny 
lhae." * * * Her earnest conversa- 
tion is full of a rare personal charm, and 
I shall never forget our long, delightful 
t&lksi Few women have such gift; 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



125 



of language and a deeply religious and 
loving nature continually revealed. 8he 
is poet, orator, minister, and above and 
beyond all a rare woman. 

* -rr * * * 

"Upon the lawn the Temple Oak 

With noble arms outspread 
Breathes benediction on each one 

Who loves his green-crowned head. 

" Within the home the stranger finds 

A joyous welcoming ; 
Good will, the 'Open Sesame' 

At which the wide doors swing. 

"But would you know the fairest flower 

That perfumes every day, 
'Tis heartsease, blooming 'neath the roof 

Of blessed 'Sunny Brae." 

Mrs. Watson has only one living child, 
a daughter, Lucretia, now a young lady. 
She is ambitious, and much desirous of 
emulating her mother's career of useful- 
ness as a public ministrant. Her aims 
turn to world-helpfulness, and she her- 
self to that end she has for several years 
been taking a collegiate course at the 
University of California. Possibly, in the 
not very distant future, she may find her 
sphere of usefulness to be that of minis- 
ter in one of the most advanced Liberal 
churches of America. 

Immediately following this sketch, the 
reader will find in this volume a few 
choice selections from the inspired ad- 
dressee of Mrs. Watson, together with 
some excerpts trom the many poetical 
improvisations with which her inspira- 
tion and genius have enriched the world. 

During her public career she has been 

the recipient of many warm encomiums 

from critical minds, both Spiritualists and 

non-Spiritualists, and the following tes- 
timonial to her worth .is a public minis- 
trant is from the Spiritualistic critic, Win. 

Emmette Coleman: 

" I know of no female orator in the 
ranks of Spiritualism comparable to Mr-. 



E. L. Watson. Good, sound sense is 
eminently characteristic of her platform 
utterances. The vagaries, extremeness, 
idealism, and transcendental rubbish 
which some Spiritualistic workers in- 
dulge in, is foreign to Mrs. Watson's 
lectures. Instead of these, she, good, 
true woman as she is, with soul aflame 
with zealous philanthropy for all the sons 
and daughters of earth, ever presents in 
her discourses sound, sensible, rational, 
ethical Spiritualism, — a Spiritualism free 
from fads and follies, fanaticism and fal- 
lacies. It is a Spiritualism all-embracing, 
including all things tending to man's 
elevation, mental, moral, spiritual, but at 
the same time eminently rational. While 
not neglecting the basic facts of spirit 
communion and the phenomena in gen- 
eral, the philosophy of Spiritualism, in 
its wide-extended scope, is duly consid- 
ered, including its various bearings upon 
the sociological reforms of the day, and 
upon the crying evils in our social struc- 
ture. The eloquence of Mrs. Watson 
has long been noted. In her case, melli- 
fluous language and sound practicality, 
oratorical beauty and grandeur and un- 
adulterated common sense, are inextri- 
cably blended. Beauty of language and 
sensible ideas are as one in her public 
ministrations. 

Mrs. Watson's labors are largely de- 
voted to the edification and upbuilding 
of mankind morally, — the rounding out 
and perfecting of character, the elevation 
of the race in the domains of ethics, the 

strengthening of the moral instincts and 

aptitudes. Intellectual wealth is a grand 

tiling, but moral affluence is grander. 

Morality is the true touchstone of human 
cliarai t<-r; and seeing how largely Mis. 
Watson's labors are devoted to tin- guid- 
an< e and furtherance ol the moral senti- 
ments, my soul goes out in thankfulness 
to her therefor." 



[26 



ELIZABEIH LOWE WATSON 

EXTRACTS FROM LECTURES AND POEMS, 



[Extract from a lecture on 'Come Up 

Jism. 

The spirit world lias accomplished 
much in establishing through these 
spiritual phenomena the fact of man's 
Immortality. They baveaccomplished 
much If they have determined for you, 
beyond a peradventure, this question: 
'•Shall I have further opportunity for 
growth after I leave the body? Shall I 
meel with ihe friends whom I have 
loved and lost?" But there is some- 
thing beyond this in the work of the 
spirit world, and that is, What does it 
signify to me, as a moral being f If I 
go to a Beance, and I am convinced that 
a -<Mil whom I loved once in a visible 
form, who ministered to me in all sweet 
and divine ways, has survived the 
change called death, what of that? 

much as there is in me of affec- 
tlon, bo much as there is in me to he 
kindled by the remembrance of that 
love, and make me pure; so much as 
that has the power to draw me to no- 
bler action, and cut me loose from low 
attractions, it signifies a moral force. 

Bul i tell you, friends, that just as 
primal man gazed on the magnificent 
phenomena of nature, unimpressed 
until the spiritual man blossomed and 
then drank in the beauty and was re- 
freshed and enlarged by it, so may you, 
a- Spiritualists, look upon this phe- 
nomena continuously, and if you do 
below IIh- sin fare and find in the 

facts dnii i us t rated there the roots of 
moral f >ree, the inspirations to a pure 

lit.-, tli.- phenomena fall flat and dead, 
aud do you no good Whosoever clings 

COUtinuoUSly to them in their physical 
pli:.-« , and i- satisfied w ith that, is like 
unto the man w ho will not rise to his 

wan'} estate, but continues to amuse 
If \\ ith the toys of childhood, 

atld car.s not | ( ,i :i || thai genlUS has 

i'- d and evolved from Hie nlpha- 



Higher; or, The New Year of Spiritua- 

bet. For, I repeat, the physical phe- 
nomena of Spiritualism are only the 
beginning of man's spiritual knowl- 
edge; they are only the indices of that 
which is of more importance, and will 
surely follow; and they will he mean- 
ingless and worthless to him who sees 
in them only an amusement — only the 
demonstration of spiritual power which 
has no moral significance — who will 
not go beyond these and listen to the 
voice that may be heard through them 
appealing to him as a deathless soul to 
come up higher. 

* ■ * * ¥r * 

The one step higher of which we 
speak to-night is that step which shall 
lead every seeker after spiritual truth 
to the altar of his own life. You who 
have felt it a necessity to seek some 
outside medium and outward sign in 
order to communicate with your spirit 
friend, did you ever think how great 
the happiness of that friend when he 
is able to meet you at your own fire- 
side? Aide to touch you, not through 
some physical sign, hut to breathe into 
your own spirit the message full of 
consolation and encouragement ? Can 
you not understand why the spirit 
world would plead with you to leave 
the childish toys and forsake the old 
ways of the physical world and enter 
into the rich possessions of the spirit, 
and that it is only by cultivating this 
sympathy between yourself and the 
spirit that you can he ministered unto 
in your times of greatest need? Do 
you not see how often we must (ail, if 
we seek through extraneous channels 
to meet and commune with you, and 
how you may multiply these avenues 
throughout the land, by each one 
making his own soul a repository of 
angel messages of instruction and con- 
solatioti ? 



*> 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSOX 127 

SOUL OF KTjPlT"CJR.E. 



Soul of Nature ! Life divine ! 
Make our hearts thy holy shrine ; 
Let our human discords be 
Mastered by thy harmony ! 



O, Thou mighty Architect, 

Whose plans th' endless years perfect, 

Building systems infinite 

By thy silent, changeless might, — 

Thou, whose thoughts are suns and stars, 

•Thou, whose law no error mars, 

To thy boundless love we turn, 

Toward thy perfect truth we yearn ! 

Very weak and blind are we, 

But in trust we lean on Thee! 



Soul of Nature ! Everywhere 
Shine the symbols of thy care, 
In the sea-depths vast and blue, 
In the smallest drop of dew, 
In siderial spaces filled 
By the beauty thou hast willed— 
And earth's clods to thy caress, 
Respond with pure loveliness, 
Lily, rose and violet, 
( .ems in golden sunshine set 
From this island in the sky 
Unto thee thy children cry. 



Soul of Mature! Source of things] 
Quench our thirst at living springs ! 
By the magic of thy breath 

Danish bitter dreams of death ! 

Let its language for love's sake 

Be made plain to hearts that break 



128 ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 

From the gloorr of vanished years, 
Speak the prophets and the seers, 
Pointing to the mountain height 
Whence shall come the clearer light; 
And from every race and clime 
At this present day of time, 
Sounds a gentler undertone, 
From great Nature's vast unknown. 



Beloved, listen ! It may be 
Prelude, in a minor key, 
To Love's grandest symphony 
Th' song of Immortality ! 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



[Extract from an Address on "Psychics 

and Religion," delivered June 3d, 
1888, at McVicker's Theatre, Chi- 
cago, 111.] 

Question your own heart! If you set 
aside ancient authority, and admit the 
fallibility of your sacred books, though 
containing much truth, and listen to 
the oracles within — God-implanted, 
God-reflecting — do you not find that 
this doctrine of a natural, active Spirit- 
world is rational? Does it not accord 
with your hope— your need? Doe9 it 
not accord with all your human expe- 
rience upon the external plane? Is 
there anything in the discoveries of 
ecieuce which conflicts with the central 
claim of modern Spiritualism ? On the 
contrary, every discovery in the line of 
the physical sciences seems to have 
laid the foundations of this larger 
truth. Glance for a moment at the 
subject of mesmerism, and note how 
far one mind can act on another, en- 
abling the mesmerist to bridge over 
what was once considered an impassa- 
ble gulf between mind and mind, and 
furnishing us with an illustration of 
what the disembodied spirit may ac- 
complish. J lave you any reason for 
supposing that the physical brain is 
absolutely indispensable to the think- 
ing spirit? On the contrary, your ex- 
perience with psychics proves that in- 
telligence is at times, even iii earth-life, 
independent of the flesh. 

And what is the relationship of the 

psychical law to oar everyday lif--? It 
frees ua at the very outset from the 
bondage of the senses, which has been 
a barrier between <>nr bouIs and much 

that is beautiful and true; it refreshes 

our souls with new baptisms of hope; 
it supplies the missing link between 

the bereaved heal 1 and the departed 
friend; it overturns the theological 

dogmas that have .so long been obsta- 
cles in the way of human progr. u 

Tut' psychical powers of Bocrates, 

JeSUS, Paul and AppolouiUS inspired 
virtuous action; poured balm upon 
wounded heart*, healed diseases of 



mind and body, and taught that the 
spirit- world is a natural world; that all 
we need fear is the consequences of our 
evil acts; that even as when we muti- 
late the flesh we suffer pain, so if we 
violate the laws of virtue and fraterni- 
ty, the reaction will produce spiritual 
suffering. 

I defy anyone to prove that psychical 
experiences have exerted other than 
good and helpful influence. Ever the 
angel's message has been, "Fear not, 
fear not." 

Every new revelation from that world 
increases our heme. Every fresh vision 
accentuates the fact of the natural life 
of the spirit, and reveals to us the 
beautiful truth that we may begin our 
heaven now and here; that the griefs 
with which human life is burdened 
are but the necessary discipline through 
which the soul passes in ascending to 
higher planes of truth, goodness and 
joy. And the sympathy from unseen 
intelligences — how it buoys us up in the 
midst of vast discouragements ! My 
friend, have you ambition to secure for 
yourself a place of honor in this world V 
Have you depended solely upon out- 
ward emoluments for your happiness? 
One glimpse of the psychic side of life 
reveals the fact that the only things 
which endure are virtue, intelligence, 
truth, and the attributes of the in- 
dwelling soul. All else is but tempo- 
rary — swiftly passing. "You have only 
what you are. 1 ' All you have to fear 
is within yourself. You can hope for 
nothing too good; you cannot believe 
too implicitly in the divinity of life; 
every sweet aspiration of the soul is 
but a prophecy that Bhall surely be ful- 
filled. 

\\'e are enwrapped by the spiritual 
world. We already inhabit it. Clair- 
voyance and clalraudieuce, common 
experiences of the psychic, are results 
of the unfoldment of faculties which 
survive after the change called death, 
and reveal the fact that every effort we 
make toward nobler living adds to our 
treasures hi the hereafter. Every vir- 
tuous impulse -ball become a t in ill of 



i 3 o 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



joy, while every lapse of the soul from 
truth and go »dness is Biire to bring un- 
bappiuese To the least of us it says, 
• You are a Soul, inheriting all the past, 
heir to all the future;" and every breath 
of truth that kis-cs the face of beings 
here Is a signal from God, leading us 
onward and upward. 

Lei us continue the writing of Sacred 
Scriptures. Let us listen sympathetic- 
ally to the psychic experiences of 
others. Let us reverently remember 
that th>' greatest souls of history have 
been those who have defied space, and 
time, and things of sense, exulting in 
i' e deathless powers of the soul. 

Let us strengthen ourselves for the 
struggles and combats of life with the 
thought that over all is the reign of 
law ; and that as immortal spirits we 
have a right to truth, a right to to-day's 
experiences; and that from the proph. 
et's vision to the si raphic smile on the 
face of a dying friend; from the faint- 
est whisper from the unseen to our in- 
i .' i Boui, to the grandest song of spirit- 
ual triumph that was ever sung, we 
have need of psychical experiences; 
thej shall be to us strength in our 
hours of weakness; light in midnight 
darkness; and when bereavements 
come, when our dear ones depart from 
US through the silent portals of death, 
they Bhall be to us the promise of re- 
union in years to come. They shall he 
he assurance that divinity reigns 
throughout I he universe. And thus 
we Bhall learn that— 

Our lives arc one with th' rolling 
spheres, 

\n«l over all 1 1 id's will hath sway; 
Tin I bor of uncounted \ i ai > 

H illi br< ught Hie harvest of to-day, 

I u all n- man\ inn .I array. 

rin Past, < nwrapp <| in error's night, 
>A si '"it ii mighty chrysalis, 
• Truth pn pared tier wing 
lit, 
( hi w hi.-ii I,, Hoar from Doubt's abyss, 
i in ai mankind t«. endl< m bliss. 



The funeral pyres of martyred men, 
Who died for harmless heresies, 

Still mark the way where truth ha 
been 
Encamped along the centuries, 
Protected by the pitying skies. 

How slight the pangs Servetus bore, 
When matched with manhood's 
noble pride; 
How dear the names forevermore 
Of those who have for Truth's sake 

died — 
The Christs whom hate has crucified. 

Thought's golden shuttle, swiftly sped, 
As by a great, unerring hand, 

Has woven Truth's unbroken thread 
Into life's pattern, vast and grand, 
Nor ever paused at priest's command ; 

Until at last our glad eyes see, 
As on a mighty, pictured scroll, 

A sweet and tender prophecy 

Of Truth's bright future far unroll, 
Her throne th' enfranchised, death- 
less soul. 

[In answer to the question: "Is Hap- 
piness the Chief Object of Life?"] 
Happiness is the fruit of right liviug; 
happ'nessis the natural consequence of 
obedience to the laws of your constitu- 
tion. You cannot, therefore, separate 
happiness from the good, and we can 
answer that in this sense it is the chief 
ohject of life. Not the happiness of the 
body — of the sensuous nature alone — 
for he who enjoys only the sense of the 
flesh, knows not great joy; it is only he 
who finds this a step, and uses it for 
mounting to higher altitudes, who 
knows the joy of living; he who feels 
that he has triumphed over sense, who 
has fought bravely with temptations 
and won the victory. Then, sweeter 
than the shout of happy soldiery, when 
Victory lor them is declared; prouder 
than the trumpet-blare, which cries a 
great man's power, is the consciousness 
of thai man who has seen what is good 
;iiid true, and been able to climb to it, 
and live it in his soul. To feel one's 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSOX 



3 1 



self attacked by a thousand malignant 
enemies that make raid upon our vir- 
tues — beings that strive to bind us 
through our passions, and drag us from 
that high estate to which we all are 
heirs — to feel ourselves proclaiming 
victory over these; to stand upon a bat- 
tle-field so proudly and nobly won — 
this is to know true happiness. This 
must be the grandest object of our life; 
to conquer that which is pernicious in 
ourselves, and that which militates 
against the highest nature of the soul 5 
to conquer all things below us, convert 
chaos into beauteous forms of life, and 
bring from discord sweetest harmony. 
To work all life's fallow ground; to tear 
up the virgin soil, where now may grow 
only weeds, and sow it thick with gold- 
en seeds that abound with life most 
beautiful, impatient to burst forth into 
bloom and sacred fruits; and where 
there are desert wastes afar, o'ersweep- 
ing which are scorching winds of bit- 
ter passion; to turn into these the fresh, 
full, silvery tides of spiritual being, 
until the banks shall overflow and wa- 
ter all those scorching sands; until the 
very atmosphere shall call from the 
flashing music of the tides their soft 
tributes to send them back again in 
■weet baptismal rain, and from this 
mighty labor of the soul to see those 
Wastes made to blossom like the rose! 
At last to wrench from Nature crude 

her wondrous secret; to convert her 

Ores and precious stones into things 
more fair, that shall stand for attri- 
butes of spirit life; to see the chili, dull 
atmosphere of mortal being glittering 

with ten thousand starry thoughts that 

have their birth in < tod's own bosom 

thi- is to labor well, ; . I m 1 to earn rich 

happiness. Ami t hi- whether wekuow 

it or not, is the objeel and aim of e\ < rv 

human soul. Though now we lose our 

way; though We DOW B*€ not into (he 
mystery by which we arc BUrroU tided ; 

though vain Beems all our l.bor, and 

Impossible to attain the heigh U and the 
vast plains outlying there beneath tie 

gorgeous sun of wisdom's day. still the 



steps are possible — they were carved by 
the law of God. 

By and by the mist will melt away, 
and the rough stone of life, which, like 
that quarried there in Nature's mighty 
warehouse, awaits the artist's hand to 
give it form, will, by the slow dropping 
of our human tears, reveal a diviner 
shape. And in these ways, so won- 
drous and so little known by us, God 
works His will with men, until at last 
that blessed vision which glows before us 
all and which we name our happiness, 
shall be fulfilled, and each soul know 
why it is here, why it has waited long, 
why toiled and struggled against a cruel 
fate— a fate that at last becomes its ser- 
vant, and shapes the higher life to which 
it was born and of which it is the natural 
heir. 
Judge not your life by th' little part 

That lies too near to view aright, 
But with a calm and trusting heart 

Await the future's clearer light. 

By looking at a tiny seed 

How can we prophecy the flower? 
Who knows how far a trilling deed 

May yet extend its subtle power? 

Take not your journey's reck'nings while 
Within the valley's veiling mist, 

Nor in the mountain's dark defile, 

Where light of sun hath never kissed, 

But press straight on, without delay, 
And what has seemed a trackless wild 

Will open up a flower-strewn way, 

( )n which < rod's tender thoughts have 
smiled. 

Through winter's storm and rayless night 

The earth iu perfect safety rolls, 
( ruided by her attractions' might,— 

And thus it is with human SOUls! 

When all life's surface writhes in pain, 
And bj some cruel fate seems driven, 

We still are held by love's bright chain, 
Safe sheltered in the breast ol heaven. 

We i annot controvert ( rod's will, 

Within its circle .ill abide; 
There is no depth I !«• does not till. 

There is no height to us denied. 



ELIZABETH LOWE WATSON 



ioms Into crystal build! 
Moved by a silent, unseen power, 
Or sunlight's fairy pencils gild 

The satin cheeks of opening; flower; 

So does tin- weakest man obey 
A law bf life that slowly brings, 

From all tils fellowship with clay, 
A shining soul that soars and sings. 



Then, though we may not understand 
The mighty, veiled Alchemist 

Whose sweet, unuttered thoughts com- 
mand 
The birth of pearl and amethyst, 

0!,let us fill, with heart content, 
The place He deems for each the best, 

Of Love a willing instrument, 

Trusting to time and God the rest. 




CHARLES DAWBARS. 



CHARLES DAWBARN. 



Mr. Charles Dawbaru is a well known 
thinker, writer and lecturer, whose life 
and labor is that of a level-headed 
Spiritualist. Ornamental Spiritualism 
has had little attraction for him. To 
discover a fact, then learn and teach 
the lesson of that fact, has been his 
object; and carried out so fearlessly 
that he often startles and alarms the 
worshipper of phenomena. 

Mr." Dawbarn is from England and 
from old Baptist stock. His ancestors 
of three generations have preached 
many a solemn sermon warning sin- 
ners 'to flee from the wrath to come.' 
Born in 1833 amidst the narrowest of 
all religious surroundings, he grew to 
early manhood unconscious of the sci- 
entific agitation that was even then 
bringing light out of darkness. He 
was trained to accept 'faith' as divine; 
but 'human reason' as a deadly snare. 

It is now about foiiy years since Mr. 
Dawbarn came to America, where for 
a year or two he did Sunday work in 
Baptist pulpits at the requeso of the 
church he had joined. He says that it 
was reading "Buckle's Introduction to 
the History of Civilization" that first 
siimd him to independent thought. 

Carefully reviewing the grounds of bis 

religious belief, be became convinced 
thai a personal devil and an endless 

bell were not taught in the Bible; BO 
be left tie- Baptist and joined t be Uni- 
versalis! church. 
()f course bis old friends were 

wounded, and left him to win a posi- 
tion amongst strangers as best be could. 

But he soon gained favor, and once 
again lectured and preached and was 

active in Suuday-x-bool work. I'he- 

oomena occurring in his own home 
Induced him to investigate spiritual- 
ism, with the result that be became an 



avowed believer. Once again he was 
almost friendless, for there is a bitter 
antagonism to progressive thought 
amongst many so-called liberal Chris- 
tians that was not surpassed by the 
Mayflower puritan. Even by the most 
charitable of his Universalist friends 
he was counted as afflicted with soften- 
ing of the brain. But such animosity 
neitherembittered him, nor caused him 
to swerve from avowing his belief, 
although for a time it destroyed his 
domestic happiness. 

Mr. Dawbarn has been a widower for 
twenty years, and has devoted his leis- 
ure to a most earnest investigation, both 
of phenomena and philosophy; but a 
very active business life held him from 
public work for a number of years. 
He then gave a course of lectures in 
Frobisher Hall, New York, on social 
and religious subjects, which led to his 
being invited to lecture at the well- 
known Lake Pleasant Camp the fol- 
lowing summer. 

Mr. Dawbarn early attracted atten- 
tion amongst thinking Spiritualists by 
his articles published in various pa- 
pers; but chiefly those in the Ueligio- 
Philosophical Journal, of Chicago. 



'Manhood versus Anthood 



.Mis- 



takes of Investigators," "Gospel of 
True Manhood," "Unborn Man," and 
a lecture published in the Banner of 
Light on "A Warning from Eae( t<> 

West; or, Spiritualism in India," were 

among bis earliest productions, and 
bad wide circulation and aroused eai ti- 
es! thought. An anniversary address, 

"A Review of Modern Spirit uallsm, " 
which was reported for and published 

in the Carrier Dove, was an admirable 
specimen of his fearless criticism and 
outspoken Indignation against every- 
thing he deem- unworthy of I be cause. 



' ;: 



CHARLES DAWBARN 



In l^s Mr. Daw barn came to Cali- 
fornia, making his home in the beauti- 
ful lit lie city of San Leandro. For 
more than a year he lectured to large 
audiences in Ban Francisco, and for 
another year he accepted engagements 
in various cities on the Pacific Coast, 
from Victoria in the north toSan Diego 
in the extreme south. His lectures 
were highly esteemed everywhere, and 
ii seemed as if the demand for his sci- 
entific and philosophical addresses 
would hold him permanently to the 
Spiritualistic platform. But his value 
tig a Citizen became recognized, and he 
was claimed for public service. For a 
lime he served as a county health offi- 
cer. He was then chosen as City 
Trustee, in which position his care for 
the health of his adopted city led him 
to demand and finally complete a most 
BUCCfc&sfu] system of sewerage. And 
\.t more recently his services have 
I.e. n Bought to help in establishing a 
plant lor the electric lighting of both 



the streets and homes of San Leandro. 

Amidst the cares and duties of a very 
busy life he retains all his interest in 
the cause of Spiritualism — demanding 
only that it shall be accompanied by 
approved phenomena, and freed from 
the credulity which so often endorses 
fraud. Mr. Dawbarn finds time for 
articles in the Eastern press, which are 
always welcomed by thoughtful read- 
ers, and have helped to compel the 
present general respect for Modern 
Spiritualism that has been conspicuous 
by its absence during many of the forty- 
eight years of its histoiy. 

Mr. Dawbarn is still in the full vigor 
of manhood, both physically and in- 
tellectually, and proposes to continue 
to maintain and support his belief by 
his pen as often as he can find leisure. 

Whether he will appear upon our 
platform is a question that he cannot 
now answer, but at the present time he 
is obliged to refuse all invitations to 
lecture. 




MRS. <;korgia cooi.ky 



MRS. GEORGIA COOLEY 



I was born in Portland, Oregon, 
where my parents are still residing. I 
was the youngest of ten children, five 
of whom are still in earth-life, the other 
five having passed to spirit-iife. 

No special religious belief was in- 
stilled into my young mind, as father 
was an independent thinker, bordering 
toward materialism. When I was a 
child my mother attended the Metho- 
dist church, consequently I became a 
member of the same Sabbath-school. 
After a time I tired of this one, and 
became a member of the Presby lerian 
Sabbath-school, which I attended until 
I was about sixteen years of age. 

A- I now understand the philosophy 
of Spiritualism, I find I was always a 
medium, yet among those who under- 
stood me not. Being very delicate, I 
was compelled to remain at home from 
school a great part of the time, and 
while suffering from malaria and other 
physical ills — all being given a differ- 
ent name by the v ;i ii,)u> physicians — I 
would begin tospeakin a manner quite 
foreign to my accustomed way, and 
was naturally considered "out of my 
head." Very often during the night, 
the other members of the family would 
be aroused by what was called "Geor- 
gia's night mare of preaching." On 
some of these occasions I would realize 
what was transpiring, but found it im- 
possible to prevent tie- same, ai other 

times I knew nothing, and on being 

told what bad happened, felt inclined 

to disbelieve. These spells occurred 

oftener and lasted longer as I grew 
older, and all possible remedies were 

used to quiet me, but without avail, 
until at Isst, by some unknown meaUBi 
salt was thought of, ami my mother 
would watch her opportunity t<» throw 
some into my mouth. This seemed to 



break the spell for the time, and longer 
periods gradually intervened, until at 
last I began to feel I had outgrown the 
terrible unnamed malady. During all 
my childhood days I was exceedingly 
clairvoyant, seeing spirit forms, yet 
could not hear what was said, although 
their lips moved. I also took "Trips to 
Heaven," as I then termed it; but of 
late years find it is my spirit leaving 
the body, and going out into space — 
sometimes visiting the "Spirit World.' 
While attending Sabbath-school, I fre- 
quently saw writing on the Walls, 
names over the people's heads, visions, 
etc.; and becoming interested in this, 
when the time came forme to read my 
verse from the Bible, I had lost the 
place, and would have to be shown it 
by my teacher, which was very em- 
barrassing. I often wished to tell the 
teacher, yet felt intimidated. Thiscon- 
tiuued until I began to feel a restless- 
ness coming over me, which finally 
grew into a distaste for Sabbath school. 
I then went to the Baptist church for a 
time, but emptiness seemed connected 

with all. and I ceased going to church 
altogel her. and BaW but lit t le clairvoy- 
antly for several years, but was very 
impreSSiOUal BO much so, that it be- 
came my sole nicaiw of guidance. 

I knew nothing of Spiritualism until 

I met M r t ooley. He spoke of his 
father belug a medium, and I felt Very 
much annoyed; consequently very lit" 

tie was said upon the subject until after 

we bad been married about two years. 

Then Btrange noises were beard about 

the house loud rap-, a- though some 
one was at the do ir and on opening 

it, to my astonishment no one was vis- 
ible. Raps would then be beard on 
t be w imiow, my Btove covers would 
rattle, ovt n doors open ami close with 






MRS. GEORGIA COOLEY 



a bang, and coal was shoveled without 
Visible hands. As I was much alone- 
Mi. Cooley working at night— I became 
v, iv much alarmed, and we sought 
another house, feeling the one we occu- 
pied was haunted. My hushand rea- 
Boned with me, saying: "Our .spirit 
friends arc making these disturbances, 
as they wish you to know they are 
Why do you not talk to them?" 
etc, Bui he reasoned without avail, 
and we removed to another home. But 
the noises followed me, and I again be- 
came clairvoyant and alsoclairaudient. 
The spirit friends explained to me 
that I was an instrument the spirit 
world desired to use for humanitarian 
work. I rebelled against this, fearing 
that if 1 gave up to these influences, 
my individuality would be destroyed, 
and I would become a slave. 

I was influenced by my husband to 
attend a camp-meeting at New Era, 
( Oregon, hut went more for the purpose 
of visiting with his people than from 
any interest I took in the proceedings. 
The first day passed quietly. The sec- 
ond day I thought [would walk around 
the grounds and take agood look at the 
people calling themselves Spiritualists. 
I had only gone a short distance from 
our tent, and was saying to myself, 
"They look very much like other peo- 
ple," when 1 was entranced by a spirit 
f lend of a lady who was passing me. 
Prom that on, I was not myself hut a 
few moments at a time for the remain- 
ing ten days of our stay on the grounds. 
As booii ;i- one Bpirit left me, another 
took possession, personating, passing 
through death alkihg in their 

old, familiar way much to the satis- 
faction of their earth-friends, and very 
oil ei i to the amusement of those pres- 
ent i « \ delicate at the time, 
ha\ in- Just recovered from an attack of 
t) phoid f. ver, and found it impossible 
t" preveut the various spirits that de- 
sired from taking possession of my or- 
ganism. Naturally the variety of such 
Influence - caused much merriment— 

illy when one Who made himself 



known as "Pat" would control. He 
was a typical representative of "Old 
Erin," and in his witty, yet earnest 
manner, caused quite an excitement. 
On being told of this I felt very much 
hurt, and endeavored to leave the 
ground, but found it impossible to get 
away. On returning home, we found 
"Pat" had followed us, and to this day 
he is still in the band, as one of the 
most earnest workers, being a good 
test guide as well as a proficient char- 
acter-reader. When lack of enthusiasm 
or harmony is felt, "Pat" is always at 
hand, and with his harmonizing influ- 
ence sets all present at ease. 

After returning from the camp-meet- 
ing, I again began to fight against my 
development, and only after a long pe- 
riod of patient waiting and earnest per- 
suasion by my Guides did I consent to 
do the work the angel friends desired. 
I have never regretted my decision. I 
have not lost my individuality, but 
have become more fully individualized; 
and as I follow the instructions of the 
higher intelligences I find life grows 
more beautiful each day. By being 
cautious, exacting and earnest, and 
with the help of 1113^ husband's influ- 
ence, I have attracted a band of truth- 
ful, earnest and enthusiastic workers 
from the world beyond, who never tire 
of giving their aid to mortals. 

Through the magnetic influence of 
my Indian band, of which "Red Fox" 
is the leader, I find myself growing 
stronger each day. My mediumship 
has changed very much since the be- 
ginning. Different phases have been 
developed, such as trance and inspira- 
tional speaking, public tests, writing, 
etc. I have had much experience with 
what is known as "dark spirits," and 
find that some of my best work has 
hern in that direction, breaking obses- 
sion, causing both mortal and spirit to 
l>e lifted into a higher condition. 

As we educate and familiarize our- 
selves with the grand and beautiful 
philosophy of Spiritualism, we become 
more helpful and useful in this world,. 



MRS. GEORGIA COOLEY 



137 



and find no moments to spare; for as 
we learn, we can always find others to 
instruct and assist. May we all grow 
into the light of truth, and as we gain 



strength and knowledge therefrom, 
never weary of sowing the seed that 
will thrive throughout all time, and 
yield a bountiful harvest in the golden 
fields of eternity. 



A REMARKABLE TRANCE. 



The following is a statement made by 
Mrs. Georgia Cooley, who was living in 
Summerland, Cal., at that time. She 
says : 

" On the 13th day of March 1S95, about 
2.30 p. m., I had just finished giving a 
sitting, and being in a very sensitive state, 
everything around me seemed illumin- 
ated. As soon as I opened my eyes I 
saw the name Carrie Van Horn written 
out, and at the same instant a voice whis- 
pered, 'Go to her as quickly as possible. 
We wish your help to relieve the spirit.' 
I found the lady very low, and the friends 
who had gathered around her bedside 
seemed anxious to learn what I thought 
of her condition and urged me to do all 
I could to help her regain her senses and 
bring her out of the unconscious condi- 
tion she was in. There were two win- 
dows in the room ; one near the head of 
the bed, the other nearly opposite. I 
raised the one farthest from the bed and 
looked out ; when I turned around I saw 
a light vapor rising from the head of the 
s'k k woman. This seemed about the 
size of a person's hand. She could not 
speak and did not seem to recognize 
anyone in the room. The atmosphere 
was heavy and stifling and I suggested 
that the window be raised mar the bed. 
This was objected to by some spirit, for I 
heard a voice saying, ' Do not nurse the 
physical. Please sing.' None present 
could, or at least felt inclined to do so, 
and the sensations that passed over me 
were verv disagreeable. I tried to 1 
the room, but could not. The small 
vapory-like cloud was changing rapid- 
ly, and in its place came a spiritaul 
counterpart of the dying woman, which 
seemed to rise a few feet from the body. 



could only see at this time clearly — the 
head, neck, and part of the chest. The 
lips of the physical moved as if talking 
and the same was noticeable of the spirit, 
both moving in unison with each other. I 
here noticed what apparently was a 
struggle going on between the physical 
and the spiritual. The latter seemed 
making a desperate effort to free itself 
from the body. Again I heard a voice 
say, 'You must now create a vibration.' 
My hands at the same time were lifted 
above my head and descending with a 
slow steady motion. Those present 
joined in this movement and we all felt 
much relieved. I saw a number of spirit 
hands at this time doing precisely the 
same thing. They, however, were work- 
ing directly over the dying woman. I 
saw also the spirit form of an elderly lady 
step up to the bedside and place both her 
arms under the reclining spirit and raise 
it gently upward. At the headboard and 
surrounding the entire front of the bed 
was a beautiful vapory-like lace that hung 
in folds, while the centre was studded 
with some of the most beautiful roses 1 
had ever seen. I began to feel sick and 
weak, and arose to go, when some one 
asked me when I thought Miss Van Horn 
would pass out. I .ike a Hash there c.une 
nine marks on the head of the bed. I did 
not feel sure as to the meaning and said, 
' 1 saw nine marks but do not know what 

was meant by it.' One- more I heard a 
voice Ray, ' By nine o'clock all will be 
over. YbU can go now, but we will re- 
main." 

" I went home and was busy with my 
household duties until a few minutes 
past seven, when 1 felt a smothei iug sen- 
sation come over me and a Strong spir- 



'38 



MRS. GEORGIA COOLEY 



itual influence. I went to the cabinet 
with my husband and sat a few mo- 
ments, and went into a trance. I soon 
became aware of moving in the direction 
of the Van Horn residence ; but while 
the sensations of moving were somewhat 
like the physical act of walking, I moved 
with more ease and rapidity. As soon 
as 1 reached the house there appeared to 
be an opening I had not before noticed, 
through which I passed into the room 
of the dying woman. I immediately 
saw that the spirit had freed itself from 
the body and was in the act of passing 
out of the room through the window. 
There were several spirits who attended 
this new born one, and were of both 
sexes. I followed them out of the room 
and saw them gradually rising upward- 
going out over the ocean. 

" The town ot Summerland is situated 
on the beach, and the body was borne for 
quite a distance out and above the water. 
I now began to feel myself ascending, 
and also became aware of the presence 
of my guide. We were following the 
group, but were some distance below 
and back of them. I could see quite a 
distance beyond them a cloud of white 
vapor, which parted as we neared it, and 
we ill passed through without any incon- 
venience. I soon began to feel much 
better, as the atmosphere seemed lighter 
and purer. 1 noticed Miss Van Horn 
raised her hand to her head as if in pain. 
Then an attendant spirit stooped over 
nd made a few passes in the direc- 
tion indicated, saying, ' Never mind, 
that is all right.' 

. my attention was drawn to this 

• tin- body, I saw a silvery cord at- 

t.ii bed t.> the neck <>r base of the brain ; 

and t<. my surprise, in following it up, 

found it still attached to the body. By 

this time we had reached a plane that ap- 
1 ( uvular, the dimensions ol which 

extended u bras the rye could reach. 
i unrounding objects Beetned as tan- 
gible as anything I had ever seen on 

earth, and the whole area was covered 

with < <»ts <>t beds (for the) had no head 
or loot board), The covering was of a 

ling lace, and 



hung in folds around each bed. There 
was no roof over this place, which I 
thought was a hospital, and thousands of 
spirits flitted hither and thither, attending 
to the weak and suffering spirits who 
were brought here. Miss Van Horn was 
placed upon one of these beds and given 
a vigorous treatment. To my question 
as to what place we were in, my guide 
said : " We are in the sphere of strength. 
Soms remain twelve hours ; others long- 
er. Much depends on the condition of 
the spirit. ' 

" I do not remember how much time I 
spent in this invigorating atmosphere, 
but at the request of my guide I again 
started earthward, and soon stood in the 
presence of my friend's body. Her lips 
were moving, and she gasped for breath, 
while a deathly pallor overspread her 
features. I remained but a few minutes 
and returned to my home, and next 
awoke to find myself in about the same 
position as when I left, or rather went in 
the trance. It was then about 8 o'clock. 
I went to bed, but was again drawn to 
the chamber of my friend ; and as I 
stood looking at the body which was still 
breathing, I saw the cord break, and like 
a flash disappear. I awoke with a start, 
and when I looked at my watch it was 
nine o'clock. I learned since it was near 
that hour that she ceased breathing. 

" It seemed strange to me that the spir- 
it could be absent over an hour from the 
body, and still the latter showing signs ot 
life. But is it any more wonderful than 
the trance condition in which mediums 
leave their bodies and visit distant places 
while the physical body is apparently in 
a condition resembling sleep. Oh, how 
grand and uplifting are the scenes in 
spirit life, and the power of the unseen 
forces that are around us. We think 
life a hardship, but does not the bless- 
ings of our spiritual gifts carry us far 
above and beyond the trials of this life ? 
Friends and co-workers, lift up your 
heads ! Your gift is a blessing and not a 
misfortune. Open the door to the unseen 
world, and you will receive the richest 
blessings the spirit world can give." 




C 1 1 A R I v OTTK MacMEEKIN. 



MRS. MaeMEEKIN. 



The subject of this sketch was born 
in England, Nov. 5th, 1837. On her 
lather's side her ancestors were English, 
and on the mother's side they wereScotch. 
Her father was a wholesale merchant. 
Her mother was a medical doctor, and 
for a long time held a position as such in 
the Glasgow Infirmary. 

In the year 1857 she married; five 
children were born in the British Isles. 
Three beautiful girls passed to spirit life 
at an early age. The family came to 
New York in 1869, and from there to 
California in 1870 and settled in San Jose, 
which at that time was a small village. 
She grieved very much at leaving home, 
and not understanding her new surround- 
ings kept a great deal to herself, and 
being of a very sentitive nature would 
sit by the window for hours alone, and 
would there see panoramic visions pass- 
ing before her. Thinking she was be- 
coming demented her physician was sent 
for, but he could discover no disease, 
and he said there was nothing whatever 
the matter. He tried, however, to stop 
the deep intense breathing; but as both the 
doctor and herself were ignorant of the 
laws of spirit control they could Dot 
Understand what was the matter. Her 
husband at that time was investigating 

the phenomena of spiritualism. 
Being a doubter she would not have 



anything to do with mediumship, spurn- 
ing it from her ; and not until the year 
1889, when questioning within herself 
one day when alone concerning the 
phenomena and philosophy of Spirit, 
ualism, she became enveloped as it were, 
in a cloud of white mist when she saw 
the form and heard the voice of an old 
time friend, named James Ferguson who 
was a lawyer when in this life. He told 
her to doubt no longer, as he with many 
others would aid and prepare her for the 
work that was in the future before her. 
From that day hundreds of broad minded 
spirits have controled her brain, and she 
is always ready to join hands with those 
who are striving to advance poor 
humanity. Her natural inclination leads 
her to the whole, and not to individu- 
alities. Her experience in Spiritualism 
has been a marvel to herself and many 
others. Her phases of mediumship are 
clairvoyance and clairaudiance, inspira- 
tional speaking and psychometric reading. 
She has also diagnosed and cured disease 
through her guides tor a number of years 
free of charge, and held parlor meetings 
at her home for many years for those 
who were seeking after truth. Those 
who are acquainted With her guides ami 
teachers know what spiritual truths they 
have given through her as their medium. 



CHARLES H. FOSTER. 



Test Medium, 



Charles H. Foster was one of the early 
test mediums whose name became promi- 
nent wherever spiritualism was known 
full forty years ago. He was called " the 
skeptic's medium " from the fact that his 
tests were of such startling and convinc- 
ing character that they carried conviction 
with them. To have a "sitting" with 
Mr. Foster was equivalent to an open 
acknowledgement of the facts of spiritual- 
ism. Few, if any, ever left his presence 
doubting or disbelieving. They were 
forced to accept as true the unmistakable 
evidence given them of spirit communion 
through this remarkable man's psychic 
powers. 

Mr. Foster was born in the historical 
town of Salem, 'Mass., and had that event 
occurred two hundred years earlier he 
would probably have shared the fate of 
many other psychics of that time who 
were put to death by an ignorant, bigoted 
people who charged them with the un- 
pardonable crime of witchcraft. How- 
ever, our medium did not put in an 
earthly appearance until it was safe and 
proper for him to do so; consequently 
bis life was spared and his mission as a 
medium accomplished. 

Mr. Foster's mediumship began to de- 
velop when he was about fourteen years 
, his attention being called to it by 
bearin bis desk in school. Phy- 

m< .ii manifestations 01 curred in ins room 

at night, and his parents would find the 

furniture scattered about in great con- 
Such demonstrations gradually gave 

way to an organized and systematic pres- 
entation <>i these phenomena in the light, 

and the medium soon attained a world- 

reputation. At an early stage of 



his mediumistic career, Mr. Foster visited 
England and created a great sensation 
among all classes through the wonderful 
manifestations of spirit power occurring 
in his presence. It is said that during 
that visit he was the guest at Knebworth, 
of Lord Bulw r er Lytton, and so greatly 
was the distinguished author impressed 
with what he witnessed, that it formed 
the foundation of " A Strange Story " in 
which Mr. Foster figured as " Margrave." 

He was treated royally, and received 
everywhere. People of rank and social 
station visited him, and even Queen Vic- 
toria attended one of his seances. In 
Paris he was the object of distinguished 
attention. He was an invited guest and 
had frequent sittings with the Emperor 
Napoleon, the Empress Eugenie and 
other members of the - Imperial house- 
hold. In Belgium he was also highly 
favored, receiving from King Leopold a 
magnificent diamond pin as a token of 
his regard. 

He also visited Havana, and the com- 
munications received at his seances were 
many of them given in Spanish and 
French, although Mr. Foster knew no- 
thing of either language. He traveled 
extensively throughout the United States 
visiting all the principal cities, convincing 
skeptics wherever he went of the truth 
of spirit return. 

An illustration of the nature of Mr. 
Foster's wonderful mediumship was pub- 
lished in the New York Graphic a num- 
ber of years ago which is copied here. 

11 One night a total stranger to Foster 
called at his rooms and said : 

" Foster, I don't believe in your hum- 
bug. Now, you never saw or heard of 
me, and 1 will bet you twenty dollars 




CIIARU-S II. FOSTER, 



CHARLES H. FOSTER 



141 



that you can 't tell my name ; I do it to 
test you." 

"Twenty dollars," slowly repeated 
Foster ; " twenty dollars that I can't tell 
your name ? Well, sir," putting his hand 
to his brow, " the spirit of your brother 
Clement, tells me that your name is Al- 
exander B. Corcorane." 

Mr. Corcorane was astonished, and 
took out his money to pay the medium' 
who pushed it back with a laugh. " One 
day," said Mr. Frank Carpenter, when 
we met at Mr. Foster's — "one day a 
lady, an utter stranger, came into Mr. 
Foster's room with a lock of coarse hair 
in her hand. It looked like fine bristles. 
Holding it up, she asked the medium 
whose hair it was. Foster took it in his 
hand a moment, pressed it to his brow, 
and exclaimed : 'By the eternal, this is 
Andrew Jackson's hair.'" 

It turned out that the lady's mother 
was an intimate friend of General Jack- 
son, and that the bunch of bristles was 
really an heirloom from the head of old 
Hickory himself. 

One day, Alexander McClnre of Penn- 
sylvania, came into the Continental Hotel 
with Colonel John B. Forney. Mr. Mc- 
Clure was very sad, for he had received 
news that his son was drowned at sea. 
" What do you think about it, Foster ? " 
asked Colonel Forney. "Why, sir, the 
boy is not drowned at all," replied Fos- 
ter. "He's alive and well, and you "11 
have a letter from him in a day or two, 
and then he will come home." 

Two days afterward McClure met Fos- 
ter and said with tears of gratitude : 

"Why, Foster, you were ri^ht. My 
boy W all sale. I had a letter from him 
today. * * * 

Next to this gentleman sat another, a 
person well known in political circles. 
Poster suddenly turned to him and said : 
" Wilcoxson— is that the way you pro- 
nounce it? His spirit is here." The 
gentleman spoken to said : "This is most 
singular. WilroXSOn is right. Where 
did he die ? " Said Foster : "The power 
is in my arms ; I will write. I le seized a 
pencil and wrote in a scarcely legible 



scrawl, very rapidly : " Died at Ford- 
ham." The gentleman shook his head. 
"Is it anything like Fordham ? " asked 
Foster. " Suppose you write it, and on 
the other pieces of paper write the names 
of other towns-" 

This was done, and the bits of paper 
were folded up and thrown on the table. 
The correct slip of paper was immedi- 
ately selected — the name being " Lon- 
don." 

"This is indeed singular," said our 
friend. " I this morning received a dis- 
patch by cable announcing the death of 
that person yesterday in London." 

During Mr. Foster's visit to the Pacific 
Coast many years ago, he made hundreds 
of converts to Spiritualism, and gave 
some of the most remarkable tests ever 
given by any medium. 

Epes Sargent is given as authority for 
the statement that on one occas : on two 
skeptical gentlemen who had witnessed 
the mysterious red writing in process ol 
appearing on the medium's arm, seized 
hold of it to discover his trick as they 
called it, and said : " We know nothing 
will come while we hold it." "What 
will you have?" said Foster. "Some- 
thing that will be a test— something that 
will fit our case," said they. Immediately 
while they held his arm as in a vice, 
there appeared in lar»-e, round, blood-red 
letters the words "Two Fools." 

Many similar tests could be given, but 
the above are sufficient to illustrate some 
of the various phases of his wonderful 
mediumship, and the almost absolute 
certainty of the statements made by him 
when under the influence of his spirit 
guides. 

Mr. Poster passed to spirit life on Dec. 
15th, 1SS5, at the age of fifty-two years. 
He was the victim of typhoid fever which 
resulted in a nervous difficulty from 
which he never fully recovered. He had 

always been a devoted Hon during all the 
Changes and exciting event-, ol his re- 
markable career, and when affliction 
Came, they in turn ministered unto him 

and sought to stav tin- ravages "i mental 
decay. After years of suffering he recov- 



42 



CHARLES H. FOSTER 



ered his spiritunl perceptions, and with 
themfcame a deeper spirituality,— an un- 
folded, chastened manhood. He was 
always generous and noble in giving, 
having no thought of accumulating 
wealth ; but earning money and spending 
it freely he made many hearts glad 



through his benefactions. The good he 
did far over-balanced his faults and left 
his life page written over with blessed 
charities and tender, fragrant memories. 
He passed away at the home of his aunt, 
in the place of his birth, Salem, Mass. 




WILLIAM MacMEEKIN. 



WILLIAM MaeMEEKIN. 



Wm. McMeekin, was born in Scotland 
in the year 1838, his father and mother 
being Scotch, and of the lineage of the 
old Scotch reformers. His father was a 
very religious and moral character, and 
so sensitive that he was called a crank. 
He was always searching after truth while 
on earth, and is now one of the principal 
spirit controls of his son for inspirational 
writing. He always eschewed the use of 
intoxicating liquors, or tobacco in any 
form, believed in purity and integrity, 
he had a detestation of hypocrites, loved 
truth wherever he could find it, and 
transmitted those qualities to his off- 
spring. 

Mr. Mac.Meekin has been a teacher of 
music for the last twenty-five years 
in San Jose, and his family are all 
musicians. He began his investigation 
of Spiritualism in 1S70, and at that time 
was sexton of the Episcopal Church of 
San Jose, which position he had held for 



15 years. From the spirit of his mother 
he received his first message through 
planchette, and since that time has been 
a spiritual worker as far as circumstances 
would permit him ; and by holding 
developing classes has brought a great 
many to the light. He was president 01 
the First Spiritual Union of San Jose, in 
the years 1892 and 1893, and held said 
position until he went to the Sandwich 
Islands with his youngest son and re- 
mained there during part of the troubles 
and insurrection in Honolulu. He re- 
turned in 1S94 and resumed his work in 
San Jose. Mr. Mac.Meekin and his wife 
are both exemplary spiritualists, and 
faithful, conscientious mediums, giving 
freely of their spiritual gifts wherever 
they can benefit a poor, unfortunate 
fellow cieature. The cause has in them 
two faithful and efficient workers, whose 
good deeds entitle them to loving re- 
membrance. 



ADDIE L. BALLOU. 



Poet, Patriot, Preacher and Painter, 



The author of "Workers in the Vine- 
yard " is indebted to Mr. Albert Morton, 
for a portion of the notes comprising the 
sketch of one ot the most efficient and 
practical workers along reform lines on 
the Pacific Coast. Mrs. Ballon is untiring 
in her philanthropic labors, and is the 
leading spirit in a number ol societies 
and enterprises for the aid and better- 
ment ofthosein need, for social purposes, 
and individual upliftment and culture. 

The Western Reserve in Ohio has 
been the nursery of many eminent work- 
ers in the reform fields of labor, among 
whom were the prominent Spiritualists, 
Joshua R. Giddings, M. C, for many 
years, Senator and Vice President, Benj. 
1 . Wade and President James A. Gar- 
field. 

In this section, where the very atmos- 
phere was impregnated with Anti-Slavery 
and rigid theological beliefs, our heroine, 
Addie Lucia, the daughter of strictly or- 
thodox parents, was born, and when 
about thirteen years of age became a 
member oi the M. E. church, although 
she rebelled against its doctrinal restric- 
tions, which she felt to be horrible and 
ing. I >h<-< tly after becoming a 
< bun li member her mediumistic tenden- 
! while attempting to 
play at ghosts and summon spirits for the 
edification oi the son o! a deacon — her 
ile sweetheart she was suddenly 

Controlled and made to do remarkable 
things, greatly to the consternation and 

displeasure of the good deacon and mem* 

niily with whom she was 



visiting, and was made the object of ve- 
hement prayers till the spirit was exor- 
cised — temporarily. 

For years thereafter she was used 
mediumistically in various ways, writing, 
healing and seeing while in a semi-con- 
scious state. Soon as she decided to 
enter the lecture field, all her mediumistic 
powers were concentrated upon speaking 
and writing, and she traveled widely and 
became celebrated for her faithful ser- 
vices as a writer and speaker on all 
reformatory subjects. The secular papers 
in commenting upon her grand work in 
the many reforms she has ably advoca- 
ted, and in referring to her artistic 
achievements have generally ignored 
her work for pure Spiritualism. 

In "California, Her Industries, Attrac- 
tions and Builders," the following bio- 
graphical sketch appears: 

"The life and honored career of Mrs. 
Addie L. Ballou, artist, orator, writer 
and notary public, of San Francisco, is a 
representative type of self-made women 
ot the West. Born on the Western Re- 
serve in Northern Ohio, during the ex- 
citing days of Anti-Slavery agitation, of 
parents devoted to the abolishing of 
slavery, and other humanitarian reforms. 
Her inherent tendencies drifted her into 
advanced fields of thought and activity, 
identified with which from her earliest 
years, she is so well-known throughout 
the United States and the Colonies as a 
forcible, eloquent and ready speaker 
and writer of both prose, verse, and as a 
philanthropist in reforms. The early 




ADDIE U p.m. I. or. 



ADDIE L. BALLOU 



45 



death of her mother, and the removal of 
her family to the frontier in Wisconsin 
deprived her of the opportunity of even 
a common school education, as the care 
of other motherless children devolved 
upon her in a neighborless region of the 
far west for some years, and where, at 
the early age of fifteen years, she was 
married. 

By studious application and remark- 
able energy and courage, she succeeded 
iii overcoming monumental obstacles 
and inopportune environments, grasping 
every suggestion for improvement. Some- 
times with feet on the cradle, and needle 
in hand, applying the lesson from the 
book neat at hand, and never despairing 
of the ultimate success in the uncertain 
future. Her first literary contribution 
was composed while doing her family 
washing — written upon scraps of brown 
paper and stealthily transcribed in a 
wretchedly cramped hand that night, 
after every one else slept, then she 
walked a mile to post it to the county 
newspaper, lest her secret might be dis- 
covered, and then she suffered a week of 
honest remorse and torture for doing so, 
at the end of which time a highly flavored 
editorial announced the simultaneous 
birth of a local poet and the publication 
of the exquisite gem " Contentment," 
and gratuitously prophesied the brilliant 
future of the author. The poem was 
widely copied, and each announcement 
of the fact threw the writer into violent 
ague, but succeeding ones have continued 
to evolve, until at present a large volume 
is in contemplation for the publisher. 
Some of the later poems appear in a com- 
piled work of an eastern house in "Torts 
of America," and a late local publication 
as well. The author has been a success- 
ful writer of shotl stories and essays, and 
has for many years been recognized as a 
terse writer and ready journalist. 

During the late war of the sixties she 
distinguished hersell in the service of the 
government by enlisting, and afterward 
received a COmmissisn from Surgeon 
General Wolcott, as nurse and matron 
of the 32nd Wis. Vols, [lift., by whom 



of the surviving members she is held in 
affectionate and revered memory still, as 
she is also esteemed by the G. A. R- 
wherever found, as a comrade." 

Mrs. Ballon, through many vicissitudes 
and at cost of many privations, took up 
the study of art, writing and speaking in 
the intermediate spaces between study 
hours, and has succeeded in making a 
name among Californian artists beyond 
her most sanguine and earlier hopes. 
Several of her largest and best pieces fill 
places of honor in the celebrated Stan- 
ford Gallery at Melbourne, Australia. 
Mr. Stanford (younger brother of Leland 
Stanford) having secured the entire pro- 
ductions of her brush during her three 
years' stay in Australia. The place of 
honor in the entire collection numbering 
some 300, being given to the painting 
now celebrated in both countries — 
''Morning" — rejected at the State Fair 
in Sacramento. 

Among the successful bills of Mrs. Ral- 
lou s championage, was the one intro- 
duced and acquired through her efforts 
at the Legislature of California three 
years ago, which provides for the ap- 
pointment of women as notaries public in 
and throughout the State. Many women, 
at present in California, are since made 
beneficiaries through appointment to the 
office, among them recently and to the 
gratification of her many friends, the au- 
thor of the bill. 

Mrs. Ballou is inordinately fond of the 
little people, and enjoys their sports or 
their sorrows with their griefs as if they 
were her own, and always has a tender 
word for all, and enjoys a romp 01 a sea- 
son in their companionship as the one 
restful and happy incident in life to an- 
ticipate. She has tluee sons and o.ie 
daughter .it the head of their several 

homes in honorable and honored man- 
hood and womanhood, and tor whom 

her « ftoits and upon whom has centered 
the h< tpes of .1 hard-wrought, sell 
firing and devoted life 

In answer to a call from California Mrs. 
Ballou came here in Feb. 1871 , and 
tilling her engagements in Sin fose, Sao 



€46 



ADDIE L. BALLOU 



Francisco, Sacramento and elsewhere, in 
May she attended the New Era camp- 
meeting near Portland, Oregon, thence 
to Salem where she became interested in 
the boy, Thomas Gerrand, condemned to 
be hanged in a short time, visited him in 
his cell and learning the circumstances 
below, and being moved by his tender 
years determined to save him if pos- 
sible. Public prejudice was very bitter 
against him principally owing to the fact 
of his being a half caste, his mother being 
a squaw of more than usual intelligence. 
He seemed not the hardened criminal 
represented to be, but the child of unto- 
ward and unfortunate circumstances and 
was dejected, forlorn and friendless. 

Having but a few hours to remain in 
Salem before leaving for other engage- 
ments, she hurriedly drew up a petition 
presenting a strong plea for the prisoner 
and urging executive clemency by a 
commutation to life imprisonment, and 
went in person to Gov. Grover who gave 
the matter serious consideration and 
both the petition and his answer were 
printed in the papers all of which were 
favorable to the boy. The Governor re- 
fused to commute the sentence but or- 
dered a stay of execution, and that 
allowed of a new trial which was had 
later on but with a second sentence of 
legal murder. In the mean time through 
the free columns of the press, from the 
rostrum, and in circulating petitions, she 
led in arousing public opinion 
throughout the entire country reaching 
as far as New England, from which let- 
ters were daily pouring in, and by a con- 
stunt ( lloit, speaking almost daily on a 
tout up tin- Sound, from every point on 
the line of which she wrote descriptive 
and amusing letters lor publication to 

keepbel the Oregon public until the 

lature should convene in Salem in 

September. Then she prepared a Hill to 
prohibit capital punishment in the state, 
which was introduced by Col. C. A. 
I who worked assiduously for its 
I In- Bill became the sensa- 
tional ..nc (.1 ti; as in the event 
oi its passage < rerrand would not be 



hanged. The Legislature tendered a 
seat within the bar, and the judiciary 
gave a hearing on the merits of the bill. 
With the exception of a few dollars that 
she raised on the train and handed to the 
mother of the condemned boy, no one 
contributed one dollar to help her bear 
the expenses incident to all the time and 
money necessarily spent to carry on the 
work of saving the boy, and she wrote 
her own son at college that it would 
hardly be possible to contribute to his 
expenses during the time the case was 
making such demands upon her. He 
managed however to get along without 
her aid by working for his board and in 
other ways helping himself, and did not 
have to leave school till graduated. 

The Bill referred to failed to pass by 
three votes, so the case went on to what 
seemed a forlorn ending. The Governor 
was inflexible, the gallows were in pro- 
cess ot erection, and only two days re- 
mained to the execution when such a 
tide of public disfavor set in as to over- 
whelm him, and he at the last moment 
commuted the sentence to imprisonment 
for life; the best course and about the 
only one there seemed for him to pursue 
if he would keep any faith or favor with 
the people who had elected him. Mrs. 
Ballou had furnished the boy with draw- 
ing-slate, pencil, paper, and other things 
to make life less terrible, and his im- 
provement was marvelous ; and the letters 
he wrote her, some of which I have seen, 
were full of genuine gratitude, and evi- 
denced great pains and intelligence. 

Gerrand became one of the best disci- 
plined prisoners at the penitentiary, and 
after remaining for a term of some seven 
or eight years there was but little diffi- 
culty in getting him pardoned out. He 
then went to Vancouver where he en- 
gaged in saddle making, a trade ac- 
quired at the penal institution, and at the 
last time heard from was providing for 
his old mother as well as himself, as an 
honorable citizen. 

One more instance of the beneficial re- 
sults following Mrs. Ballou's indefatiga- 
ble philanthropic labors was in the case 



ADDIE L. BALLOU 



147 



of Jesse Pomeroy, the noted boy mur- 
derer, who was sentenced to be hanged 
for murders committed near Boston. Be- 
ing well versed in the laws of pre-natal 
conditions, she was shocked by the mon- 
strous laws which by a legal murder are 
supposed to atone for a murder perpe- 
trated by a boy whose mother had fre- 
quently assisted her husband in butcher- 
ing cattle while the unborn boy was be- 
neath her bosom. Her persistent efforts 
with the Governor of Massachusetts, by 
gaining the assistance of others through 
correspondence and the press, resulted 
in the commutation of Jesse's sentence 
to life imprisonment. 

The investigation Mrs. Ballou made of 
the Jesse Pomeroy case opened up some 
startling testimony in the matter, aid 
laid bare many falsehoods that a morbid 
public had taken for truth relative to the 
boy and his family, together with which 
and the story as told by himself, and the 
Gerrand case also she has in preparation 
to present in a new coloring to the pub- 
lic in a not distant day. 

An extract from one of our journals 
descriptive of an art gallery recently 
opened, contains some items of interest 
relating to Mrs. Ballou's artistic work. 
It said : " This picture gallery will be the 
attraction for all visitors. Paintings of 
great value have been secured, the most 
costly and unique of which will be the 
companion paintings of Addie I.. Ballou, 
representing "Morning" and "Night." 
These paintings have quite a history. 
Their perfection has not been questioned 
by the most severe critics. The attempt 
Co pi. ice them on exhibition at the State 
Fair and the Columbian Exposition was 
repelled by those who questioned the 
propriety of doing so. The Sacramento 
Bee, in speaking of " Morning " said : 
" It is possible that the approach to Na- 
ture by the artist was too (lose for the 
fastidious, hut Nature's model is peri-i l- 
ly copied, and the coloring turned to suit 

the subject." In speaking of "Night," 
the Sau Francisco fbsi said : "The figure 
is ot a nude young woman, standing on 
the crest of a globe, with hands grace- 



fully poised above her head, the perfect 
coloring giving it the glow of life." 
These paintings, being the product of a 
San Francisco artist, will invite special 
attention and interest." 

The Searchlight, organ of the equal- 
suffragists, said of Mrs. Ballou : "As a 
writer of prose and verse she has achieved 
national fame. She is President of the 
State Republican Club, and to no woman 
in California does the Republican party 
in the last campaign owe more than to 
this distinguished author, artist and 
woman-suffragist. ' ' 

The same paper also gives a report of 
a justly merited scoring given to one of 
our Solons — who evidently had little re- 
spect for his mother and less for himself 
— in artistic touches more vigorous than 
finished, a realistic word painting. Mrs. 
Ballou said: "The surest indication of 
the approach of the hour's great need of 
woman's voice and influence in the mak- 
ing of laws that embrace her welfare and 
that of her children, is the possibility of 
such forgetfulness on the floor of legisla- 
tion, (of a member who speaks, and 
others who listen, with levity,) of the 
first sense of honorable manhood in the 
reverence and respect due all woman- 
hood in the relation of that office through 
which his own mother, in common with 
all motherhood, had periled life and en- 
dured maternal anguish that he might 
be. 

There is no man of intelligence but 
holds in reverence the holy condition of 
maternity, no matter what the station, or 
the race ot her to whom it comes. No 
man who lurks the instinct to revere, or 
the tenderness to consider that condition 

through which the mothers of our race, 

in unspeakable anguish, often lose their 
lives in perpetuating life— should find an 

honored place in the halls ol legislation. 

It remains the duty of self respecting wo- 
manhood to continue her insistance to a 

seat beside him, if lor no other : 1 
than to -uard the sanctity of maternity 

from the vulgarity of profaning and con- 
temptuous lips. 
No wonder that nations decay and men 



148 ADDIE L. BALLOU 

deteriorate, when the halls of the Solons " Where is my boy to-night ? " has been 
are made the vulgar jesting places of appropriated by several literary pirates, 
sons of women whom they debar ; to de- It is pleasant to rehearse the achieve- 
file by making merry over, and insulting ments of the faithful workers, but the 
the shrine before which they should rev- limitations of space demand that much 
erently kneel with uncovered head." remain unsaid that could be told concern- 
In her literary work Mrs. Ballou has ing the valuable services of one whose 
been highly complimented in the same life has been consecrated to high and 
way as the writers of " Beautiful Snow" lofty purposes for the advancement and 
and "Curfew must not ring to-night." upliftment of humanity. 
Her touchingly beautiful poem entitled 




STEPHEN I). DYE. 



S. D. DYE. 



S. D. Dye was born on the 19th of 
June, 1836, in Troy, Miami Co., Ohio. 
His mother, Catherine Cappock, belong- 
ed to the old Quaker stock who were 
banished from England, and their prop- 
erty confiscated, while they were made 
to suffer all the curses that could be 
heaped upon them by fanatical, creed- 
bound religionists, who, in their blind 
zeal to serve God, made it a crime to 
give a Quaker something to eat. Com- 
ing to America in 1709, they met much 
the same treatment at the hands of those 
who themselves had fled from religious 
intolerance in the old world, for they 
seemed to think they were doing God's 
service by whippings, fines, imprison- 
ment, and banishing from the common- 
wealth of Massachusetts, Baptists and 
Quakers. The dark history written in 
blood, and the charred remains of the 
victims burned at the stake, both in the 
old world and the new, cruelly murdered 
by the professed followers of the com- 
passionate, meek, and lowly Jesus, cre- 
ated a prejudice in the mind of Mr. Dye, 
that can never be eradicated. 1 lis ances- 
tors had suffered these persecutions 
mainly at the hands of Protestants, and it 
would be simply impossible for any relig- 
ious sect to ever reach him, even though 
all the Christian (?) Kndeavorers in tin- 
country should tUIH the focus point ol 
prayer upon him. And yet, he is not a 
hardened sinner. He is a good in.m, a 
man with a noble generous nature, in- 
domitable courage, perseverance, energy 
and pluck, and like the Yankees of 177^, 
never presumes to know when he is 
whipped. In whatever he undertakes, In- 
fests his eye on victory, and works to 



that end never stopping to look at the 
difficulties that lie in the way. When the 
war broke out in 1861, Mr. Dye respond- 
ed to President Lincoln"s first call for 
troops, and became a member of Com- 
pany A, 44th Regiment of Ohio Volun- 
teer Infantry, serving faithfully through 
the war. He was then and still is a con- 
sistent spiritualist. After the war he 
personally engaged Moses Hull to deliver 
three lectures in West Milton, Ohio, pay- 
ing him seventy-five dollars for his ser- 
vices. 

Removing soon afterwards to Iowa, Mr. 
Dye took his principles along with him to 
the new country, and it was mainly 
through his energy and perseverance 
that the first meeting of Spiritualists was 
held in Tama City, Iowa, for the purpose 
of effecting a State organization. He 
was then publishing a liberal, spiritual 
paper in that place, and was the author 
of a pamphlet entitled "The Crusade" 
which has passed through six editions. 
With his pen he dealt sturdy blows 

against hoary-headed superstitions that 
have usurped the name of Christ to serve 
their nefarious and selfish purposes. 
With tongue and pen, with brain and 
brawn, the subject of this brief sketl h is 
ever ready to serve the cause of human- 
ity. When the history of Spiritualism on 
this coast shall have been written, 
and each worker shall receive his or her 

just mead oi praise for service rendered, 

that will not be a Htinted portion be- 
stowed upon Stephen D. Dye. Spiritual- 
ism in Los Angeles has come to th.- front 
as an acknowledged power, largely 
through his labors and influence. 

from one weak struggling society two 



i5° 



S. D. DYE 



years ago, they have grown till now there 
are three societies besides two or three 
independent meetings. Instead of occu- 
pying some " out of the way " hall over 
some saloon as is too often the case, they 
have converged to the very center of the 
city, one occupying Music Hall with a 
seating capacity of 1400, while the last 
and newest society of which Mr. Dye is 
President, is ensconced in Los Angeles 
Theatre, one of the finest in the State, 
with a seating capacity of 2000. It was 
to Mr. Dye's foresight, energy and perse- 
verance more than to any other agency, 
that the Southern California Camp-meet- 
ing Association was inaugurated and its 
first meeting made a grand success, dur- 
ing the summer of 1895. As others weak- 
ened, he grew strong. As the prophets 
of evil cried failure, he shouted success. 
While rich spiritualists tightened their 
purse strings, he loosened his and out of 
his own pocket advanced the money to 
make the first payment on the tents and 
the pavilion. 

He assumed great responsibilities, for 



he is not rich in this world's goods _ 
Speakers and mediums were engaged at 
a stipulated sum for each appearance on 
the platform. Many other expenses were 
to be met. All sorts of evil prognostica- 
tions were indulged in by the wiseacres 
who knew it would be a failure. Some 
feared it would be a success, and Mr. 
Dye get more than his share of credit. 
Others did not believe in a "one man 
power" although there was no attempt 
at any such exercise of power ; but in 
certain emergencies somebody had to 
shoulder the responsibility, and our sub- 
ject did it with results that have passed 
into history, and that have also been re- 
corded above. 

Walking in harmony with his compan- 
ion and yet working along different lines, 
they form a combination not easily 
broken, and destined to do much for hu- 
manity in sowing the seeds of truth in a 
prepared soil, that shall by and by spring 
up into everlasting life, and their labors 
be crowned with the fulness of a blessed 
Immortality. 




BISHOP A. BEALS. 



BISHOP BEALS 



In answer to questions concerning his 
early mediumistic experiences, Mr. Beals 
says : " I do not recollect the time that I 
was not visited with strange, prophetic 
dreams and trance-like visions. I have 
always been conscious of the nearness of 
the spiritual world. I was even in child- 
hood a worshipper at the shrine of na- 
ture, and later in life I found her sweet 
influences far more in harmony with my 
religious aspirations, than were the lelig- 
lous doctrines of the popular churches." 
Mr. Beals was born in the village of 
Versailles, in western New York. His 
father, a physician, was a member of the 
Universalist Church, with which denomi- 
nation Bishop also allied himself. In 
1856, while residing in New York City, 
he united with the congregation of Rev. 
E. H. Chapin, at that time one of the 
most popular pulpit orators in America. 
It was here that he first became interested 
in the facts and philosophy of Spiritual- 
ism, through the columns of the Banner 
of Light, in which the sermons of Chap- 
in and Beecher were then published. In 
1S57, during a visit to his native village, 
he attended lectures by Miss Libbie 
Lowe mow Mrs. E. L. Watson, of San 
Jose, Cal.) who, although an unsophisti- 
cated girl of fourteen years, gave utter- 
ance in the trance state, to thoughts so 
profound and of such sublime spirituality 
that all who listened to her were- struck 
with wonder and admiration. Of the 
effect on himself, Mr. Beals says : " Her 
eloquent trance utterances touched a re- 
sponsive chord in my soul, and awoke 
within me the latent power of medium- 
ship." 

It was not until some years after this 
awakening that Mr. Beals began his career 



as a public speaker and teacher. The ul- 
timate incentive to his public work was 
the death of his mother. This event 
seemed to bring him more than ever into 
rapport with the higher life. At his moth- 
er's funeral he came under spirit influ- 
ence and in an unconscious condition 
played [on the organ, sang, and impro- 
vised a poem in which the names of 
members of the family were given, and 
the guardian spirits were invoked to pro- 
tect and shield him in his future public 
work as a medium. From that day to 
this Mr. Beals has been engaged in the 
work of spreading a knowledge of the 
spiritual philosophy, traveling from point 
to point, and ministering wherever there 
seemed most premise of doing good. 
He speaks rapidly, and frequently goes 
from one topic to another in the same 
discourse. On this account his lectures- 
have by some been called illogical ; but 
he gives pleasure to a large class of spir- 
itualists, and as his utterances are char- 
acterized by spirituality and moral purity, 
they are the means \A accomplishing 
great good. Mr. Beals is an accomplished 
musician, and many lovers of music an- 
attracted to his lectures, who, except lor 
the sweet spiritual songs and the artistic 

instrumental performances of the medium, 

would nevei attend a spiritual meeting. 

Mr. Beals has traveled extensively and 

lectured in all the prominent cities of the 

Pacific Coast. He recently married an 

estimable lady ofSummerlaod, Cal., and. 

has located 111 that beautiful little city by 

the sea. He frequently lectures for the 

different societies of that place, aw^ is 

held in very high esteem by a large ( irde 
of friends. His contributions to the spir- 
itualistic press are widely read and -reat- 



BISHOP BEALS 



ly appreciated. Among: his poetic con- 
tributions are many beautiful gems of 
thought and inspiration. The following, 
written a number of years ago, breathes 
the same fond spirit of filial love and 
tender reference for the memory of his 
sainted mother, that characterized his 
earlier writings and poems. It also 
shows the deep appreciation and love of 
nature that ever dwells in the soul of the 
true poet and inspired writer. 

I gazed at the sun's bright path in the 
West 
'Till the earth seemed flooded with 
glory, 
And I thought of the dear ones happy 
and blest 
Held sacred in song and story. 
And I longed to climb the star-steps of 
night 
To that beautiful city of gold, 
Where the morning returns with infi- 
nite light 
And whose splendors can never be 
told. 

I thought of my mother's dear sainted 
eyes 
That beamed with such tenderness 
here, 
And I musingly asked if still from the 
skies 
They reached earth's shadowy sphere. 



And if on missions of mercy and love 

To guide and counsel she came; 
And to picture in dreams that city 
above 
Where our heart's dearest treasures 
have gone. 

Dear Mother, once more earth tenderly 
weaves 
Her mantle cf sunset with gold, 
And wrapped in its glory my spirit 
still grieves 
For thy sympathy sweet as of old. 
The zephyrs are laden with messages 
sweet 
From the lips of many a flower, 
In the innermost shrine of my heart, 
there's a seat 
That waits for thy presence this 
hour. 

I know that the morn will spangle the 
earth 
With pearls in the trembling dew, 
And break into songs and rapturous 
mirth 
With many a radiant hue. 
Yet in the low west where the firelight 
burns 
The hush of a vision is seen — 
Through the vista of years my spirit 
oft turns 
To my childhood, sunny and green. 




JAMKS G. CLARK, 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



James G. Clark, though for thirty-five 
years an earnest believer in the facts and 
philosophy of Modern Spiritualism, can 
hardly be classed among mediums and 
special workers in the cause. He is 
known rather as a writer on general 
lines of reform, and as a helper and in- 
spirer in every good work and cause 
without regard to creed, party, or fac- 
tion. He has long been known and 
loved by all classes for his inspired songs 
and poems. Many of his reform lyrics 
have beeu quoted and recited all over the 
English-speaking world. This has espe- 
cially been true of "The Voice of the 
People," by all odds the most stirring 
labor poem ever written in any language. 
As a writer, composer, and singer of 
spiritual and reform songs, he stands 
without a rival. 

Mr. Clark, while intensely radical and 
pronounced in his convictions and opin- 
ions, is, nevertheless, generous and 
catholic in his treatment of all creeds 
and beliefs. He may be termed a M Chris- 
tian Spiritualist," as he never hesitates 
ech and pen to declare his faith in 
the Nazarene as the Master Soul of all 
time, worthy of emulation, love, and 
homage as the divine Meal Man. And 
he defends his attitude with arguments 
that arc not easily refuted by those who 

take a different view of the great I ralilean 
Medium. B. O. Flower has, in the past 
written and published in that 
at of our popular magazine 

tWO sketches of Mr. Clark, from 

which we quote the followit 
as they give a better idea of the man and 
eneral work than anything we have 
found elsewhere in print: 

•' Poet oi the Pbopub. 

" In the present paper I wish to give a 
brief outline of the life and work of the 
poet, Composer, and singer, Jan. 



Clark, whose fine lyrical and reformative 
verses have been an inspiration to thou- 
sands of lives. 

" Mr. Clark was born in Constantia, N. 
V., in 1830. His father was a man of 
influence in his community, being rec- 
ognized as intelligent and honorable, and 
possessing that cool, dispassionate judg- 
ment which always commands respect. 
The mother gave to her son his poetical 
gift and hisjntense love for humanity, 
his all-absorbing devotion to justice and 
liberty, and a nature at once refined yet 
brave. When but three years old, the 
little poet had learned from his mother 
"The Star of Bethlehem," sung to the 
air of " Bonny Doon," and could sing 
the entire piece without missing a word 
or note. When twenty-one years of age, 
he was well known in his community as 
a concert singer of rare ability. At this 
time Mr. Clark attracted the attention of 
Mr. Ossian E. Dodge, who, in addition 
to publishing a literary journal in Boston, 
had under his management the most 
popular concert quartet in New England. 
Mr. Dodge was a man of quick percep- 
tion; he readily saw that the young poet 
and singer would prove a valuable ac- 
quisition to his already famous troupe, 

and promptly appointed him musical 

composer for his Company. Into this 
work Mr. Clark threw all the enthusiasm 
of youth, composing such universally 

popular SOngS as "The Old Mountain 

Tree," '* The Rover's Grave," ''Meet Me 

by the Running Brook," an. 1 ''The Rock 

of Liberty." "The old Mountain Tree" 
or some time a reigning favorite 
through the laud, it being bus 
months in theaters and concerts. At the 
Boston Museum, then the leading theater 

Of Boston, it was no unusual thin- 
to be called for as many as three times 
in a Bingle evening. 

" ( )ne day, during this period of popu- 



154 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



larity, his mother, who was a very 
religious woman, said to him, 'James, 
why cannot you write a hymn ? ' He 
loved his mother devotedly. There was 
between them more than the strong ties 
of mother and son. She had fostered 
and encouraged his every poetical and 
musical aspiration, and it was his most 
earnest desire to gratify her wish, but 
thought along this line came slowly, and 
almost a year elapsed before the young 
man placed a penciled copy of his hymn, 
"The Evergreen Mountains of Life," in 
his mother's hand. She read it through 
silently, too much overcome to speak, 
while great tears coursed down her 
wrinkled cheeks. At this period he 
composed several songs and hymns which 
have been universally popular, such as 
" Where the Roses Never Wither," " The 
Beautiful Hills," and " The Isles of the 
By and By." Of these poems, Dr. A. P. 
Miller, .himself a poet of more than ordi- 
nary power and an admirable critic, 
writes: 'These songs have for thirty 
years been received by all classes as 
forming a group of original and perfect 
lyrics adapted to every platform and 
hall, whether sacred or secular. To say 
this,' continues Dr. Miller, 'detracts 
nothing from his songs of love and free- 
dom. It is only saying that they are the 
vSt. Klias, the Tacoma, the Hood, and the 
Shasta, which out-tower all other song 
peaks and reach those heights where the 
sunshine is eternal and the view uni- 
m real.' 

" It may be well to note at this time the 
Singular fact that in his poetical life Mr. 
Clark has appeared in three distinct 
roles, although lie has always been the 
poet of the people. During his youth 
and early manhood the popular lyric and 

ballad claimed his power. It was the 
work of this period which won lor him 
the name of the Tom Moore of America; 
and had he not taken the other upward 
steps, tin- appellation would not have 
<> palpably inadequate to describe 
the man who for thirty years has been 
the poel of reform and the prophet of the 
new day. When the sixties dawned, the 



first song epoch of his life was drawing 
to a close, and the mutterings of the 
Rebellion were oppressing age and stim- 
ulating youth throughout the North. 
Mr. Clark had given his country a col- 
lection of songs and ballads destined to 
live long after his body had returned to 
dust, and he had sung his melody into 
the hearts of thousands who had listened 
to the poet composer and singer with 
that rapt attention which is the tribute 
of manhood and womanhood to genuine 
merit. The clouds of rebellion were 
gathering around the horizon; but ere 
the shock of arms thrilled the nation, 
Mr. Clark was summoned to the death 
bed of his mother. Sitting at her side as 
the spirit was poising for flight, and 
catching inspiration from her words, 
there came to him that exceedingly pop- 
ular and touching poem, "Leona," which 
was first published in the Home Journal 
of New York, then edited by George 
Morris and N. P. Willis. This poem, 
Mr. Morris afterwards declared, had been 
more widely copied, admired, and com- 
mitted to memory than any other com- 
position of its class ever published in 
America. 

" The divine afflatus which fills the poet 
brain, and weaves itself into words which 
thrill and move the profound depths of 
human emotions, was next manifested 
in Mr. Clark's soul-awakening songs of 
freedom. The sweet ballads and lyrics 
of love and home disappeared before 
stern Duty's voice. While Whittier, 
Longfellow, and Lowell were firing the 
heart of New England, Mr. Clark sent 
forth "Fremont's Battle Hymn," one of 
the most noteworthy poems of war times, 
and a song which produced great enthu- 
siasm wherever sung. 

" During the earl}' days of the war the 
poet traveled from town to town, singing 
the spirit of freedom into the hearts of 
the people, and arousing to action scores 
and hundreds of persons [in every com- 
munity visited, who had heretofore taken 
little interest in the pending struggle. 
In this way he raised many thousands of 
dollars for the Sanitary Commission and 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



i55 



Soldiers' Aid societies. In addition to 
" Freemont's Battle Hymn, ' ; this period 
called from his pen a number of war 
songs and poems, such as " Let Me Die 
with My Face to the Foe," " When You 
and I Were Soldier Bo\-s," ' ' The Children 
of the Battle-field," and "Minnie Min- 
ton." The history of this last-mentioned 
poem is peculiarly interesting, and re- 
veals the fact that at times coming events 
have been flashed with singular vivid- 
ness on the sensitive mind of our poet. 
The pathetic facts connected with the 
poem are as follows: Mr. Clark was 
visiting a family by the name of Minton. 
In the home circle was a young lady 
named Maria, who had a lover in the 
army. One da}- Mr. Clark said, ' If your 
name were Minnie, it would make a 
musical combination for a poem.' The 
young lady blushed and replied that 
her frieuds often called her Minnie, and 
doubtless at this moment her thoughts 
went out to the soldier boy for whom she 
daily prayed. Some months passed, when 
one night, while the poet was riding in 
the sleeping-car, the words of the ballad 
"Minnie Minton" forced themselves 
upon his brain, so haunting his mind 
that he could get no sleep until he had 
transferred them to paper. This was 
done by drawing aside the curtain of his 
berth, and writing in the faint glimmer 
of the lamps, which had been turned low 
for the night. It is probable that the 
poet did not dream, as he penciled the 
following lines, that he was writing a 
prophecy which a year later was to be- 
come history. Yet such was in fact the 

Minnie Minton, in the shadow 
I have waited here alone, — 
On the battle's gory meadow, 
Whicb the Bcythe of deatb has mown, 
I have Listened for yonr coming, 
Till the dreary dawn of day, 

But I only hear the drunimi ng, 

As the armies march a . 

' ) Minnie, dear Minnie, 

I have heard the angel's warning, 

I have Been the golden shore; 

I will meet 3 on in the morning 

Where the- shadows come no more. 



' We come now* to the third epoch in the 
history of Mr. Clark's poetry. The war 
was over. His thoughts turned to the 
toiling millions of our land, for from 
early manhood his heart had ever kept 
rhythmic pace with the hopes, aspira- 
tions, and sorrows of the masses. Now, 
however, the ballad singer, who in the 
Nation's crisis became the poet reformer, 
becomes the prophet poet of the dawning 
day. And with advancing j-ears came 
added power; for it is a notable fact that 
with the silver of age has come a depth 
of thought, coupled with strength and 
finish in style not found in his earlier 
work. Take, for example, the following 
stanzas from "A Vision of the Old and 
New:" 

'Twas in the slumber of the night — 

That solemn time, that mystic state — 
When, from its loftiest signal height, 

My soul o'erlooked the realm of Fate, 
And read the writing on the wall, 

That prophesies of things to be, 
And heard strange voices rise and fall 

Like murmurs from a distant sea. 

The world below me throbbed and rolled 

In all its glory, pride, and shame, 
Its lust for power, its greed for gold, 

Its flitting lights that man calls fame, — 
And from their long and deep repose, 

In memory and page sublime, 
The ancient races round me rose 

Like phantoms from the tombs of Time. 

I saw the Alpine torrents press 

To Tiber with their snow-white foam, 
And prowling in the wildern 

The wolf that suckled infant Rome. 
But wilder than the mountain Hood 

That plunged upon its downward way, 
And fiercer than the she-wolf's brood, 

The soul of man went forth to si I 

Kingdoms to quick existence sprang, 
Bach thirsting for another's 

The din of wars incessant rang, 

And Blgntl Of hate each loiehead WOK. 

All nations bore the mark of Cain, 

And only knew the law of might; 

They lived and strove for selfish gain 
And perished like the dr< anu oi night. 

I woke: and slept, and dreamed once 

more, 

And frOffl a continent's white crest, 
I heard two OCeattS -ecthc and kmi, 
Along vast lands by nature blest; 



156 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



All races mingled at my feet, 

With noise and strange confusion rife, 
And old World projects — incomplete — 

Seemed maddened with a new-found 
life. 

The thirst for human blood had waned; 

But boldly seated on the throne, 
The grasping god of Mammon reigned, 

And claimed Earth's product for his 
own. 
He gathered all that toilers made, 

To fill his vaults with wealth untold. 
The sunlight, water, air, and shade 

Paid tribute to his greed for gold. 

He humbly paid his vows to God, 

While agents gathered rents and dues. 
He ruled the nation with a nod, 

And bribed the pulpit with the pews; 
Yet, over all the regal form 

Of Freedom towered, unseen by him, 
And eagles poised above the storm 

That draped the far horizon's rim. 
At length, the distant thunder spoke 

In deep and threatening accents; then 
The long roll of the earthquake woke 

From sleep a hundred million men. 



I woke: and slept, and dreamed again: 

A softened glory filled the air, 
The morning flooded land and main, 

And Peace was brooding everywhere; 
From sea to sea the song was known 

That only God's own children know, 
Whose notes, by angel voices sown, 

Took root two thousand years ago. 

No more the wandering feet had need 

Of priestly guides to Paradise, 
And banished was the iron creed 

That measured God by man's device; 
No more the high cathedral dome 

Was reared to tell His honors by, 
For Christ was throned in every home, 

And shone from every human eye. 

No longer did the beast control 

And make the spirit desolate; 
No more the poor man's struggling soul 

Sank down before the wheel of Fate; 
And pestilence could not draw near, 

Nor war and crime be felt or seen — 
As flames, that lap the withered spear, 

Expire before the living green. 

Ami all of this shall come to pass — 

For Cod is Love, and Love shall reign, 
Though nations fust dissolve like grass 

Before the lire- that sweeps the plain; 
And men shall eease to lift their gaze 

To seek Him in the far-off blue, 
lint live the Truth their lips now praise 

Ami in their lives I lis life renew. 



There yet shall rise beneath the sky, 

Unvexed by narrow greed for pelf, 
A race whose practise shall deny 

The heartless creed " Each for him- 
self." 
There is no halt or compromise 

Between the ways all life has trod, 
'Tis downward, with the brute that dies 

Or upward with the sons of God. 

"This poem was founded on a vivid 
dream which came to the poet and so 
impressed him that he found no peace 
until he committed the verses to paper. 

"The poet's loyalty to the toilers is 
voiced in most of his latest poems and 
songs. "The People's Battle Hymn," 
published last autumn, was sung with 
great effect at the industrial gatherings 
throughout the West. Of this song, 
General J. B. Weaver, the candidate of 
the People's Party for President in 1892, 
said: ' It is the song we have been wait- 
ing for. It is an Iliad of itself.' 

" The following stanzas from this song 
will give an idea of the exaltation of 
thought, which, when accompanied by 
Mr. Clark's soul-stirring music, arouses 
an almost indescribable enthusiasm 
among the people wherever it is sung: — 

THE PEOPLE'S BATTLE HYMN. 

There's a sound'of swelling waters, 
There's a voice from out the blue, 
Where the Master His arm is reveal- 
ing— 

Lo! the glory of the morning 
Lights the forehead of the New, 
And the towers of Old Time are reeling, 

There is doubt within the temples 
Where the gods are bought and sold. 
They are leaving the false for the true 
way; 

There's a cry of consternation 
Where the idols made of gold 
Are melting in the glance of the New- 
day. 

CHORUS. 

Lift high the banner, 
Break from the chain, 

Wake from the thralldom of story. 
Like the torrent to the river, 
The river to the main, 

Forward to Liberty and Glory ! 

There is tramping in the cities, 
Where the people march along, 
And the trumpet of Justice is calling; 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



57 



There's a crashing of the helmet 
On the forehead of the Wrong, 
And the battlements of Babylon are 
falling. 
O! the master of the morning, 
How we waited for his light 
In the old days of doubting and fear- 
iug— 
How we watched among the shadows 
Of the long and weary night 
For his feet upon the mountains ap- 
pearing. 

He shall gather in the homeless, 

He shall set the people free, 

He shall walk, hand in hand with the 
toiler; 
He shall render back to labor 

From the mountains to the sea 

The lands that are bound by the spoiler. 
Let the lightning tell the story 

To the sea's remotest bands; 

Fet the camp fires of freedom be flam- 
ing, 
While the voices of the heavens 

Join the chorus of the lands, 

Which the children of men are pro- 
claiming. 

" Mr. Clark is not only a poet, musical 
composer, and singer of rare ability, he 
is a scholarly essayist, and, during recent 
years, has contributed many papers of 
power and literary value to the leading 
dailies of the Pacific Coast. 

" The wealth of poetic imagery, 
strength, and deep penetration which 
characterizes the recent work of Mr. Clark 
is very noticeable in some of his later 
poems, and reaches altitudes of sublimity 
in thought rare among modern poets. 
This characteristic is well illustrated in 
" The Infinite Mother," which I give be- 
low. It is considered by many critics 
-is Mr. Clarke's master]-: 

Tin. ini iM'i ■>•. MOTHER. 
I am mother of File- and companion of 

God ' 

I move- in each mote from the suns to the 
-<>d, 

I brood in all darkness, I gleam in all 
light, 

I fathom all depth, and I crown ever} 

bight; 

Within me tin- globes of the nuiverse 

roll, 
And through me all matter takes impress 
and BOUl. 

Without me all forms into chaos would 

full; 



I was under, within, and around, over all, 
Fre the stars of the morning in harmony 

sung, 
Or the systems and suns from their grand 

arches swung. 

I loved you, O earth! in those cyles pro- 
found, 

When darkness unbroken encircled you 
round , 

And the fruit of creation, the race of 
mankind, 

Was only a dream in the Infinite Mind; 

I nursed you, O earth! ere your oceans 
were born, 

Or your mountains rejoiced in the glad- 
ness of morn, 

When naked and helpless you came from 
the womb, 

Ere the seasons had decked you with 
verdure and bloom, 

And all that appeared of your form or 
your face 

Was a bare, lurid ball in the vast wilds of 
space. 

When your bosom was shaken and rent 

with alarms, 
I calmed and caressed you to sleep in my 

arms. 
I sung o'er your pillow the song of the 

spheres 
Till the hum of its melody softened your 

fears, 
And the hot flames of passion burned low 

in your breast 
As you lay on my heart like a maiden at 

rest; 
When fevered, I cooled you with mist 

and with shower, 
And kissed you with cloudlet and rain- 
bow and flower, 
Till you woke in the heavens arrayed 

like a queen, 
in garments of purple, of gold, and ol 

green, 
Prom fabrics of glory my fingers had 

spun 
for the mother of nations and bride of 

the sun. 

There was love in your face, and your 
bosom rose fair, 

And tlu- Bcenl ol your lilies made fra- 
grant the air, 

And your blush in the glance "i yOUT 
lover was i are 

As you waltzed in the light of his warm 
yellow hair, 

( >r lay in tin- haze "I his tropica! • 

pt 'neatfa the- gaze of the j assion 
moons: 

And I stretched out my anus from the 

awful unknown, 
Whose channels are swept by m\ 

alone, 



'5« 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



And held you secure in your young 

mother days. 
And sung to your offspring their lullaby 

lays, 
While races and nations came forth from 

your breast, 
Lived, struggled, and died, and returned 

to their rest. 

All creatures conceived at the Fountain 

of Cause 
Are born of my travail, controlled by my 

laws; 
I throb in their veins and I breathe in 

their breath, 
Combine them for effort, disperse them 

in death; 
No form is too great or minute for my 

care, 
No place so remote but my presence is 

there. 
I bend in the grasses that whisper of 

spring, 
I lean o'er the spaces to hear the slars 

sing, 
I laugh with the infant, I roar with the 

sea, 
I roll in the thunder, I hum with the bee; 
From the center of suns to the flowers of 

the sod 
I am shuttle and loom in the purpose of 

God, 
The ladder of action all spirit must climb 
To the clear hights of Love from the 

lowlands of Time. 

'Tis mine to protect you, fair bride of the 
sun, 

Till the task of the bride and the bride- 
groom is done; 

Till the roses that crown you shall wither 
away, 

And the bloom on your beautiful cheek 
shall decay; 

Till the soft golden locks of your lover 
turn gray, 

And palsy shal 1 fall on the pulses of Day; 

Till you cease to give birth to the chil- 
dren of men, 

And your (onus are absorbed in my cur- 
rents again — 

But your sous and your daughters, un- 
conquei ed by strife, 

Shall rise on my pinions and bathe in my 
life 

While the fierce glowing splendors of 
suns cease t<> burn, 

And bright constellations to vapor return, 

Aud i hall rise from the graves 

the old, 

Shine, fade, and dissolve like a tale that 
is told. 

'• Like Victor Hugo, Ralph Waldo Em- 

Robert Browning, and, indeed, a 



large proportion of the most profoundly 
spiritual natures of the nineteenth cen- 
tury, Mr. Clark, while deeply religious, is 
unfettered by creeds and untrammeledby 
dogmas. In bold contrast to the narrow- 
minded religionists, who, like the Phari- 
sees of Jesus' time, worship the letter, 
which kills, aud who are to-day persecut- 
ing men for concience' sake, and seek- 
ing to unite church and state, Mr. 
Clark's whole life has beeu a protest 
against intolerance, persecution, and 
bigotry. Living in a purely spiritual 
realm, he eoves, and that renders it im- 
possible to cherish the spirit of bigotry and 
persecution manifested by the American 
Sabbath Union, and other persecuting 
un-Christian bodies, whose leaders have 
never caught a glimpse of the real spirit or 
character of Jesus. He is a follower of 
the great Nazarene in the truest sense of 
the word, and thus cannot understand 
how professed Christians can so prosti- 
tute religion and ignore their Master's 
injunctions as to persecute their fellow 
men for opinion's sake. On this and 
kindred subjects he has written very 
thoughtfully and with great power. 

" The light of another world has already 
silvered and glorified the brow of this 
poet of the dawn; and, as I have before 
observed, with advancing years comes 
intellectual and spiritual strength rather 
than a diminution of power. Such men 
as Mr. Clark wield a subtle influence for 
good in the world. Their lives and 
thoughts are alike an inspiration to thou- 
sands; their names live eushrined in the 
love of the earnest, toiling, struggling 
people — the nation's real nobility. 

" Mr. Clark, like William Morris, Mr. 
Howells, and many other of our finest 
contemporary thinkers, has become an 
ardent social democrat. Perhaps he is 
not tmite so extreme in his views as the 
English poet, but I imagine he holds 
opinions much the same as those enter- 
tained by Mr. Howells, and he is even 
more aggressive than the American 
novelist, which is saying much, when 
one considers Mr. Howells's fine aud 
brave work of recent years, aud espe- 



JAMES G. CLARK. 



x 59 



cially his bold satire on present-day in- 
justice, in "A Traveler from Altruria." 
"Against the aggressiveness of wealth 
in the hands of shrewd, cunning, and 
soulless men and corporations, Mr. 
Clark raised his clarion voice, even more 
eloquent than in the old days when he 
wrote, composed, and sung for freedom 
and the Union before the black man had 



been freed. It is difficult to conceive a 
picture more inspiring than this patriarch 
of Freedom, whose brow is already 
lighted w T ith the dawn of another life, 
fronting the morning with eyes of fire 
and voice rich, full, and clear, now per- 
suasive, now imperious, but never falter- 
ing, as he delivers the messages of eternal 
truth, progress, and justice." 




GEORGE HAZELTON HAWES, 



Among the hills of western Massachu- 
setts the well-known shorthand reporter 
of the Pacific Coast passed the early years 
of his life. His native town is Middle- 
field, in Hampshire Count}', and he was 
born December 4th, 1849. He descends 
from the names of Hammond and Hazel- 
ton, Hawes and Bird. He is the young- 
est of six children. He was favored in 
being the offspring of parents happily 
united, devoted to each other and to 
their children, and who had the fullest 
confidence and respect of the community. 
His father was a schoolteacher and 
fanner. He lost his life through an ac- 
cident when George was but two years of 
age, and it is quite a remarkable circum- 
stance that since that time, forty-four 
years ago, death has not invaded the 
family circle he left behind. 

When Mr. Hawes was six years old 
his mother married Ebenezer Smith, who 
possessed a snug little farm on the east- 
ern outskirts of the town, sheltered by 
hills and maple woods, but rather a 
lonely and secluded spot, the nearest 
neighbor a mile distant. Mr. Smith pos- 
sessed many fine qualities, and was one of 
tin- staunch men of the community. Al- 
though a good Baptist deacon, he was very 
liberal in thought, took a number of 
newspapers, anil was well posted on all 
the stiii in- events of the day. He was 
anion- the first to adopt improved ma- 
chinery in farming, and was always 
ready and patient to consider new ideas. 
N-» doubt this state of mind took deep 
root in tlu- receptive nature of the young 
nd prepared the way for the com- 
prehension and adoption of those great 
vital principles which have so enriched 

his hi ' 

Notwithstanding a comfortable home 

and i' are ol parents, the stem 

i\ lor unceasing and rugged toil in 

that particular portion of the country to 



win from the soil a livelihood, makes 
a bondage of childhood which absorbs 
nearly all its sunshine, and the toiling 
years wore deep resolves in an earnest 
character that the labor of his manhood 
should yield more results than he saw 
were possible around him. He disliked 
farming, and repeatedly declared he 
would not make it his occupation. Up 
to the age of ten he attended the little 
district school three months in summer, 
and three in the winter. He then entered 
into the work of the farm, laboring nine 
months of the year with all the regularity 
of a hired man, going to school three 
months in the winter. 

Mr. Hawes claims there was nothing 
striking about his youth, but that some- 
thing within him continually caused him 
to long for greater opportunities. He 
was quiet in manner, studious as a 
scholar, gave but little trouble to teachers 
or parents, and seldom quarreled. His 
parents were members of the Baptist 
Church, and he was a constant attend- 
ant at its meetings and Sunday School. 

At eighteen years of age a marked and 
complete change took place. About 
three years before a sister had married 
and settled in California, and through her 
efforts and the hearty encouragement of 
an older brother, he decided to make the 
Golden State his future home. The gen- 
tle mother made but little objection, but 
as the day of farewell drew near, would 
frequently drop the daily duties to throw 
her arms around his neck and press him 
to her heart in silence, as though she 
would forever hold in her embrace the 
child who had never left her side. It is 
one of the singular workiugs of events 
that this brother, sister, and mother, hav- 
ing lost their companions by death, have 
for some time shared a happy home 
together with Mr. Hawes in San Fran- 
cisco, he having remained single. 




OKOKGK II. HAWKS. 



CxEORGE HAZELTON HAWK.-. 



161 



A journey of twenty-six days by water 
and the country life of New England was 
exchanged for the great metropolis of the 
Pacific. Mr. Hawes reached San Fran- 
cisco September 2, 1868, and most of the 
time since has resided here and in Oak- 
land. 

For a few years he was engaged in 
ordinary work of different kinds as an 
employee, and resided with his sister. 
The charm of her home and the atmos- 
phere of a happy marriage relation were 
the stronger attraction during the most 
dangerous years of temptation when the 
character was forming and the mind un- 
folding. Here in the home and under 
those favorable influences were born that 
deep love for spiritual truth, and con- 
fidence in spiritual power to bless 
mankind, which have shone forth so 
vigorously in later years. But to eradi- 
cate many of the old teachings was a 
work of time. While ever ready to rev- 
erently consider new ideas, he is slow to 
adopt until he thoroughly comprehends 
and discovers they are valuable. He had 
somewhat outgrown creeds, but finding 
a religious body that required only a be- 
lief in Christ and an acknowledgment 
of the Bible as the rule of faith and prac- 
tise, he felt he could go as far as this, and 
about 1S72 he united with a denomination 
in Oakland called ' Disciples of Christ, 
or perhaps better known to those 
outside as the "Campbelites." To his 
great surprise and pail] he found himself 
allied to an orthodoxy so rigid that the 

question of whether instrumental music 
in worship was Binful, or praying in any 

other position than on the knees was 

acceptable to the Lord, caused Buch dis- 
Bentions, that do! many months had 
passed when the little flock were com- 
pelled to discontinue public services, 
Mr. Hawes, however, would throw do 
discredit upon this denomination, and 
while the above was strictly true, it is 
only its extreme, and even at that time, 
unusual manifestation. He never re- 
newed this illation, tor in realized at 
oner that his noblest feelings and richest 

experiences must be BUppreSSed, and he 



resolved that no organization should ever 
stifle the deepest convictions of his heart. 
At the age of twenty-seven his brother- 
in-law died after a short illness, leaving 
his wife in feeble health, and three young 
children. Their means was slender, save 
a life insurance policy, and this was 
never collected owiug to the breaking up 
of the company. Mr. Hawes did not 
hesitate as to the course he should pur- 
sue. The helpless ones were never al- 
lowed to be separated or suffer for what 
his hand could supply. He had the great 
satisfaction of seeing the mother finally 
restored to good health, and two of the 
children live to mature into useful mem- 
bers of the community, and become his 
loving companions. With this new and 
serious responsibility he saw how impor- 
tant it was to have a distinct ami definite 
line of work, and he commenced the 
study of shorthand. It is somewhat sig- 
nificant that his mind was first directed 
to this work from hearing some beautiful 
utterances by trance mediums, and feel- 
ing a great desire that they might be 
preserved in the language in which they 
were given. Those who have seen his 
trained hand gliding gracefully over the 
pages of his note book, and the thousands 
who have read the magnificent discourses 
he has reproduced, are little aware of the 

difficulties he overcame, and the patience 
and perseverance he exercised to perfect 
the art of verbatim reporting. Without 

a teacher and after the heavy labors of 
the day, he took up the self-appointed 
task, and without faltering and nnas 

sisted, cai tied it to success. 

He now has one of the best equipped 
(Hues of his profession in the city, and 
has able assistants. His reporting has 
taken a wide range. I [e has served a tei m 
as official reporter in one of the courts, 
and during the past two yeai 
ported on Borne ol the most important 
cases tried in the United States Circuit 
Court. 1 1 1- 1 i;is also repoi ted extensively 
for the religious and secular prei 
m<. ns and lectures <>f distinguished 
pie visiting the Coast. Am< 

e mention< d Pi 1 >wl< r, 



62 



GEORGE HAZELTON HAWES. 



D. L. Moody, the Evangelist, Reverend 
Sam Jones, Reverend J. A. Dowie, the 
great Faith Healer, Reverend A. B. 
Simpson, Father MeGlynn, Robert G. 
Ingersoll, and John B. Gough. In 1890, 
he reported a series of Sunday evening 
lectures on Roman Catholicism by Rev- 
erend Richard Harcourt at the Howard 
Street Methodist Church, which were 
published in book form and illustrated 
by Thomas Nast. 

But the work which Mr. Hawes looks 
back upon with the greatest pleasure and 
satisfaction, he says, is the reporting he 
has done under the name of Spiritualism. 
So far as is known, he is the pioneer 
reporter in this field on the Coast. His 
first work appeared in Light For All, 
October, 18S0. It was a lecture delivered 
by the eloquent Mrs. E. L. Watson, 
entitled " Our Treasures in Heaven." 
He has reported extensively the inspired 
thoughts and sayings given through this 
gifted instrument of the spirit world, as 
well as the utterances of all the noted 
speakers who have visited San Francisco. 
He was the regular verbatim reporter for 
the Carrier Dove and the Golden Gate, and 
also furnished many lectures for the 
Spiritual Offering, Reiigio- Philosophical 
Journal, and Banner of Light; also many 
reports of important meetings and events. 

Early in 1884 he published a pamphlet 
of a series of fifteen discourses by the 
Guides of Mrs. Cora h. V. Richmond, 
upon "The Nature of Spiritual Existence 
and Spiritual Gifts." It found a ready 
sale, and the edition was soon exhausted. 
He received from the hand of Mrs. Rich- 
mond the following approving words: 

" I am pleased to acknowledge receipt 
of the beautiful pamphlet of discourses. 
My husband and myself consider it the 
l>e>t piece of work, including reporting, 
editing, and printing, that has ever been 
• lone in connection with any published 
discourses of my Guides; and the modest, 
j el a] preciative preface could only have 
emanated from a mind thoroughly im- 
bued with the spirit of what the dis- 
courses contain, .111. 1 wh.it. lies beyond 
them in the- realm of soul." 



In 1888 Mr. J. J. Morse published a 
work entitled, "Practical Occultism," 
which was a series of parlor lectures on 
mediumship and certain phases of life in 
the spirit world. The reporting of this 
was also the work of Mr. Hawes. A 
second edition of this able work has just 
been published, but under a new title. 
Mr. Morse says that Mr. Hawes is one of 
the most skilful reporters he has ever met, 
and upon his late engagement with the 
California Psychical Society, he secured 
the appointment of Mr. Hawes to report 
the public ministrations given through 
him from the rostrum. 

During the existence of the California 
Spiritualists' Camp Meeting Association, 
Mr. Hawes was one of its active members, 
acting as its Corresponding Secretary, 
and a portion of the time as a member of 
its Board of Directors. For years he has 
been identified with some Spiritual 
society. At the present time, he is a 
member of the Society of Progressive 
Spiritualists. He has been urged to 
accept a position on its Board of Direc- 
tors, but, owing to the demands upon his 
time by his profession, has felt compelled 
to decline. It is his cherished desire to 
soon turn his energies into spiritual work 
more fully than he has hitherto been 
able to do. 

Mr. Hawes' name has become familiar 
to the spiritual public, chiefly through 
his reports of the thoughts of others — a 
work which has been for him largely "a 
labor of love." But those who know 
him best know that he wields a facile 
pen for recording his own inspirations, 
with occasional evidences of poetical fire. 

At one time he was offered the position 
of assistant editor of one of the prominent 
spiritual papers in the East. None who 
have read his tastefully worded intro- 
duction to the volume above referred to 
can fail to have been touched by a sense 
of his rare love of truth, thoughtfulness, 
and spirituality. Quiet in manner, genial 
in conversation, with a strong vein of 
humor which renders him an agreeable 
companion, and softens the sharp edge 
of many outward expressions, his clear 



GEORGE HAZELTON HAWES. 



1 6 



brain and true heart have endeared him 
to all who know him. Though not gen- 
erally known, his most intimate friends 
are aware that Mr. Hawes possesses some 
interesting phases of rnediumship, which, 
when he is permitted to give more time 
to their manifestation, may prove of 
interest and value to a wider circle. It 
has been said that but for war there 
would be no history. It is equally true 
that the most external characters occupy 
the most voluminous biographies. 

Lives such as that of this spiritually 
minded man seldom have their due 
appreciation in their own day and genera- 



tion. Spiritual forces are silent, but 
potent; and a virtue goes out from such 
characters that stamps its impress upon 
the coming time; but it is an impersonal 
impression, lifting up the divine qualities 
of truth and virtue, and overlooking the 
humble embodiment and example. 

Mr. Hawes' merits entitle him to a 
more elaborate tribute; but in view of 
his own characteristic modesty, it seems 
fitting to offer only this brief but sincere 
testimony to the worth of one well 
entitled to a place among the really 
spiritual workers upon the Pacific Coast. 







WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



William Clayton Bowman, now a resi- 
dent of Los Angeles, Cal., was born in 
the year 1833 in Western North Caro- 
lina, Jacob Bowman, his grandfather, 
being a pioneer of the mountain region 
of that State. His father, Joseph Bow- 
man, as the settlement of the. country 
advanced, in order to gratify his prefer- 
ence for life amid Nature's wilds, made 
repeated moves still further away from 
"the busy haunts of men." Born to the 
freedom of rural life, nurtured in the 
atmosphere of t the highlands, accus- 
tomed to outlooks from mountain peaks 
over wide expanses of country, young 
Bowman imbibed and insensibly incor- 
porated into his very nature the spirit of 
freedom which, in later years, enabled 
him to break away from the thraldom of 
a narrow religion, to welcome the broader 
teachings of Universalism, and, finally, 
to embrace the still more advanced ideas 
of the Harmonial Philosophy, until now, 
as the founder and pastor of the " Church 
of the New Era," he is among the fore- 
most advocates of religious liberty, and 
of moral, social, and political reform. 
An earnest exponent of the philosophy 
of spiritual unfoldment, a worthy teacher 
of the art of right living (which is the 
essence of true Spiritualism), he is de- 
voted to the emancipation of humanity 
from all hurtful restraint and from every 
debasing condition, and the induction of 
mankind into a higher life on earth — 
the- fraternal love, freedom, purity, and 
justice of the new era. 

.Mr. Bowman's mother, whose maiden 
name was Sarah I Jarland, was the daugh- 
ter <>f Elisha Garland, a Methodist 
preacher, of whom it is said: " He was 
habitually filled with the Holy Ghost," 

which, in the Methodism of those days, 
meant not only the occasional ecstasy of 

deeply religious feeling, but on all occa- 
sions great solemnity of manner and 



awfulness of discourse — an austere bear- 
ing and words of deep seriousness being at 
that time considered as specially befitting 
an ordained preacher, who must never 
forget that his holy calling, as the repre- 
sentative of an angry God, required from 
him a demeanor in the presence of his 
people that would continually remind 
them of the terrors of divine wrath. 
Yet Mr. Bowman writes: " Dreadful as 
were the visits of my grandfather, I 
revere his memory because he was sin- 
cere, and his somber life was in honest 
keeping with his faith," 

Sarah Garland Bowman, though a 
woman of limited education, was liber- 
ally endowed by nature, intellectually 
and spiritually. Her secluded life, and 
the simplicity of the times in which she 
lived, prevented the full development of 
her intellectual faculties, yet the earnest- 
ness and sincerity of her character left a 
lasting impress on her children. Hav- 
ing no newspapers and very few books, 
she became a devoted student of Scripture, 
especially interested in the prophesies, 
and a believer in the speedy coming of 
the end of the world, when " the heavens 
shall roll up as a scroll, and the elements 
melt with fervent heat." Having no 
access to any rational interpretation of 
the Scriptures, her sensitive spirit was op- 
pressed with the dread of a coming 
catastrophe. As the Jehovah of the 
Jews visited the iniquities of parents 
upon the children to many generations, 
so the God of her imagination was a 
beingof awful majesty and power, whose 
wrath might at any time be wreaked on 
the children of men. Death, to her, in- 
stead of being the decree of nature, was 
the direct act of God. As a consequence, 
young Bowman became subject to fears 
of impending evil and gloomy thoughts 
of death, which even the beauty and 
brightness of nature could not at all 




WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 






WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN' 



i«S 



times dispel. In relation to this early 
experience, he writes: 

" Religious teachings are fastened upon 
the minds of children at an age when 
they are incapable of distinguishing be- 
tween truth and fiction, and are enforced 
under the awful name and authority of 
God, written in a book they are taught 
to revere as divine and infallible truth. 
Add to this the fact that religious preju- 
dices and superstitions are the deepest 
and most ineradicable of all the preju- 
dices which enslave mankind, it ceases to 
be a matter of astonishment that thou- 
sands of intellects, otherwise clear and 
cultured, are still in bondage to the 
myths and fables of the world's child- 
hood." 

The Bowman family consisted of eleven 
children, of whom William C. was the 
fourth. There were ten boys and one 
girl. The head of the family, Joseph 
Bowman, was a moral but not a pious 
man, therefore there were no family 
prayers, except when a preacher or other 
zealous Christian visited them. They 
lived too far from churches for frequent 
attendance, and Sunday Schools were 
then unknown in that part of the country, 
so the children, in spite of their mother's 
influence, grew up comparatively free 
from the early religious bias which 
priests consider so essential in moulding 
the minds of the young so as to fit them 
for future service in the church, From 
OUnt of his early religious experi- 

ences written by Mr. Bowman, the fol- 
lowing is taken: 

"Tin- little preaching I heard was 

about equally divided between three 

Methodist, Baptist; and Tankers 

or Dnnkers usually called Dnnkards), 

more properly ' Christian Brethren. 1 The 

preaching consisted mainly of doctrinal 

Controversy, alike unprofitable and unin- 

teresting to those not members of the 

church. 'Soul-saving' seemed only an 

incident connected with questions of 
baptism, the Lord's supper, 'feet-wash- 
ing,' etc. The Dnnkards differed from 
the other two BectS not merely in litual 

forms, but on the subject of conversion, 



commonly called ■ getting religion.' The 
Dunkard preachers maintained that the 
process of 'getting religion' under re- 
vival excitement was unscriptural. Hav- 
ing a number of relatives on my father's 
side who were preachers of that denom- 
ination, and noticing that their argu- 
ments seemed more plain and scriptural 
than those of their opponents, I inclined 
to their views; yet, when I attended the 
Methodist revivals, where my mother's 
people were largely represented, I some- 
times found my Dunkard principles 
severely tested by the earnest exhorta- 
tions of relatives and friends urging me 
to go to the ' mourner's bench ' and 
' seek religion.' While I did not doubt 
the sincerity of those undergoing these 
' religious ' experiences, my doubts as to 
such being the genuine way of salvation 
made me stubborn to withstand their en- 
treaties. 

Up to the age of nineteen years, young 
Bowman's facilities for obtaining school 
training had been slight indeed. In that 
region, at that time, boys learned to read, 
write, and spell imperfectly, and some 
acquired a knowledge of the fundamental 
rules of arithmetic. Nothing beyond this 
was thought of in the free schools of that 
mountain country. Concerning this per- 
iod of his life, Mr. Bowman writes: 

" I had never heard an educated person 
speak. But, attending a Methodist meet- 
ing one Sunday, I had the pleasure of 
hearing a preacher named Adams, who 

had just opened a 'high school,' at the 
county-seat, twenty miles away. He 

was a man of culture, and I was so cap- 

tivated by his manner of speech, and the 
Btrangely beautiful words he used, that I 
then and there said in my heart, 'I must 

go to school to that man.' The n 

lion of this purpose to my parent 

a surprise to them, ami mv sudden 

resolve a mystery they could not under* 

stand. for aw hile they treated ni\ le- 

quesf for permission t'> k° ;ls •'< niosl 
unreasonable proposition, but perceiving 

that I was determined they final 

sented, my mother going with me 
bad never been to the village, i attended 



i66 



WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



the school three years, paying my way at 
first by chopping wood, and afterward by 
teaching, at intervals, in the district 
schools. 

" It was while attending this school that 
I passed through the experience of ' con- 
version; ' a psychological phenomenon 
of much interest to the student of mental 
science, although easily accounted for 
by the well-known laws governing the 
action of mind upon mind; it is still held 
by revivalists to be of supernatural char-, 
acter due to conviction of sin and faith 
in Christ as a Divine Savior. It was 
a reality to me, as it has been to thou- 
sands. In my subsequent progress of 
observation and thought, though never 
doubting for a moment the moral and 
spiritual change wrought in me by that 
experience, I have been compelled to 
adopt a theory of its nature and causes 
widely different from that of the reviv- 
alists. My first doubt of the truth of the 
revivalist theory came very soon after my 
'conversion,' long before my general re- 
volt from orthodoxy. This doubt arose 
from the want of harmony between the 
facts of my experience, and the theory of 
faith in Christ by which the facts had to 
be explained. I knew there was a 
change. The transformation was mar- 
velous. It was darkness changed to 
light, sorrow to joy, hell to heaven. 
I knew there was no mistake as to that, 
yet I also knew that there zvas no preceding 
faith in Christ on my part. On the con- 
trary, all had been doubt and utter in- 
ability to exercise such faith. 

"The principal of the school at that 
time was Revererid R. N. Price, a Meth- 
odist preacher, who had succeeded Rev- 
erend Mr. Adams, the founder of the 
school. Por both these men 1 still cher- 
ish a memory akin to reverence. Under 
Mr. Price's ministrations a revival was 
-tatted in the school, the students being 
required to go on with their school duties 

as USUal, and attend the revival services 
at night. Having been, years before, 
familiar with revival proceedings, and 
skeptical as to the real character of such 
experiences, i at first took little interest 



in the revival further than to attend the 
meetings, as required, and look on with 
indifference, while my schoolmates were 
yielding to the appealing sermons, the 
earnest prayers, and heart-stirring songs. 
From what I have since learned of the 
laws of mind, of the psychological in- 
fluence exerted by magnetic persons and 
the effect of long-continued excitement, 
together with the appeals of friends and 
my natural desire to yield to their 
wishes, it seems remarkable that I held 
out so long, especially as I was not at 
that time fortified by a knowledge of the 
natural laws underlying such phenomena. 
But the process is plain enough now. 
Persistent concentration of mental and 
moral effort, with one accord, in one 
place, and for one purpose, can always be 
relied upon to produce the desired result, 
in some degree at least. Such result 
(depending on laws inherent in the mind 
itself) will follow independently of the 
truth or error of the beliefs or theories on 
which such efforts are put forth — just as 
the rock is broken by the accumulated 
blows of the hammer, no matter what 
the purpose for which the blows are 
wielded, even though it be under the 
delusion that the rock is full of gold. 

"Here seems to be the true explana- 
tion, not only of the puzzle of real con- 
versions under the delusions of a fic- 
titious and absurd theology, but of the 
entire class of religious phenomena so 
numerous, and otherwise so unaccount- 
able, including 'jerks,' ecstasies, and 
extravaganzas of revival work. Some 
phases of the trance, also the numerous 
forms of religious healing, and ' mind 
cure ' in the various names of Mag- 
netism, Spiritualism, Mental Science, 
Christian Science, etc., may be included. 
In all these phenomena it is evident to 
the unprejudiced mind that the effect is 
independent of the theories held by the 
various schools of religious faith practis- 
ing these diverse methods of revival and 
healing. The phenomena are the result 
of well-understood causes, being plainly 
due to the operation of natural law under 
certain conditions, such as mental sug- 



WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



'67 



gestion, concentration of influence, per- 
sistent effort, abnormal excitement, 
intense expectancy, exhaustion, reac- 
tion, etc. 

" It may here be pertinently asked: In a 
case like my own, where there was ?io 
faith to begin with — in fact, a positive 
disbelief in the whole business of ' getting 
religion ' in that manner — how was it 
possible to even make a start in that 
direction ? My answer is in one word — 
hypnotism. I was intently listening 
to the sermon. It was full of 'holy 
unction'; it was pleading, inspiring, 
sympathetic. The speaker, the people, 
and the very place in which they were 
assembled had become magnetized with 
the spirit of the revival work. My atten- 
tion became absorbed, and I was thus 
held captive. The eye of my soul was 
fascinated to one spot, focused to one 
point — that spot where the preacher 
stood; that point, the preacher's mind. 
My personality had become lost in the 
oversoul of the magnetic man, who over- 
mastered me. I could think only his 
thought — could do only his will. I was 
mesmerized, and, at his bidding, went to 
the ' mourners' bench ' as helplessly as 
any subject who obeys the command of 
the hypnotist. But when I knelt with 
the other mourners where the magnetic 
eye of the preacher do longer gazed into 
my own, and his pleading \ oice no longer 
Beemed to appeal to me — especially to 
me — to surrender my will to his- — the 
spell was broken, and my normal condi- 
tion of mind, with all its power of reason- 
ing, was restored. Freed from the influ- 
ence which had bound me, my doubts 
wen- as Btrong as ever. What was I to 

do? Thus openly committed to 
religiorJ,' m\ self-respect would not per- 
mit me to turn back. And then- 1 

kneeling at the- altar -with no faith in 

w hat I was apparentl) pi • After 

a lew moments' thought, I decided to 
persevere, because failure after per- 
severance would be less disgraceful than 
to stultify myself <»n the spot. So, a1 
though 1 despised myselffor the part I was 
playing, 1 remained with the mourners 



as if, like them, 'under conviction,' and 
continued to go to the ' anxious seat ' 
night after night, hoping that I might, 
by prayer and earnest endeavor, work 
myself into a different state of mind. 
After several nights of praying and cry- 
ing, with no other result than a greater 
dissatisfaction with myself, an increasing 
sense of gloom, and, finally, a feeling of 
utter despair, after a long struggle in my 
accustomed place at the mourners' bench, 
I became exhausted, and sank into a 
state of profound sleep, a condition of 
entire unconsciousness. Though there 
was a great noise of singing, praying, 
and shouting all around me, there was to 
me a stillness as deep as death — a blank- 
ness of mind as profound as nonentity. 

" The intelligent reader will note that 
this part of niy ' religious experience ' 
was due to a cause entirely different from 
that which controlled my will when I 
first went forward to the mourners' 
bench. 'J hat was the result of the mes- 
meric influence of mind over mind: the 
swooning was the result of mental and 
physical exhaustion from excessive and 
long continued excitement and mental 
agony. The profundity and duration of 
such syncope are proportionate to the 
violence and prolongation of the strain 
which causes it. I have witnessed revival 
swoons which lasted several hours In 
my own case, the time was probably an 
hour. The return to COUSCiousm 

never be forgotten. To the ear, it was 

like the gradual awakening from sleep 

by the music of a midnight serenade, the 

soft strains lulling the mind to quiet 
enjoyment while arousing it to happy 
consciousness; and to the eye the resus- 
citation was like the slow forming of 
pictures on the canvas inapanorama of 
dissolving views. Every sound was mel- 
ody, every scene beauty, and every 

thought and leeling lull ol sweetness, 
harmony, and love. Why was this.' 

Prom whence came the great ha] piness, 
the feeling o\ ad joyousness 

glorifying the vei 5 one 

whom an hour before all had been dis- 
cord and wretchedm >? No wondei In 



i6S 



WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



the world's ignorance of the laws of 
nature such experiences have been 
deemed supernatural, but in the light of 
the psychological science of our day, the 
supernaturalism of modern theology is 
fading away, as the supernaturalism of 
ancient mythology disappeared before 
the advance of physical science hundreds 
of years ago. 

11 But it may be asked, ' If these 
religious experiences are real, and if they 
change men's lives for the better, why 
are they not good for the world, and why 
attempt to undeceive the mind as to 
their nature, and thereby dissipate the 
charm and hinder the good accomplished 
by it?' The answer is: Truth is better 
than error; the true interests of mankind 
are better subserved by knowledge of the 
truth than by any accidental advantages 
which may arise from the delusions of 
error. Besides, a bliss which depends 
upon ignorance is not enduring in its 
nature, neither is it worth}' of rational 
beings. 

" After my conversion naturally came 
the ' call to preach.' I say naturally be- 
cause nothing is more natural for one 
under the influence of excitement based 
on a belief in the orthodox hell than to 
feel a strong impulse to rescue sinners 
from such awful peril. So I became a 
student of theology, and at the same 
time a traveling Methodist preacher, and 
continued in the business fifteen years, 
meantime passing through the Civil War, 
serving a part of the time as a chaplain 
in the confederate army. I fully be- 
lieved in the divine right of slavery and 
the justice, (the necessity even) of seces- 
sion, for I had been so taught. Our 
politics and our religion— the result of 
rarly teachings — are mainly dependent 
upon locality; so in a sense they may be 
said to be geographical questions; and 
later in life, when I began to think about 
ihe reason of things I doubted whether a 
God of justice would send people to hell 
for purely geographical reasons. When 
I spoke of my doubt to some of my 
brethren in the ministry, they informed 
me that the heathen would be saved 



through ignorance, whereupon my mis- 
sionary zeal began to cool, for it seemed 
to me hardly the proper thing to en- 
lighten the heathen if nine-tenths of 
them were to be eternally damned in 
consequence." 

Near the close of the war, in 1864, came 
the main turning point of Mr. Bowman's 
life, his marriage to Sarah A. Colbert, of 
Virginia, who, like himself, was an early 
believer in orthodoxy and who, like him 
also, by fearless questioning of its cor- 
rectness, has come out of the shadow of 
that cold and cheerless religion into the 
warmth and sunlight of rationalistic be- 
lief. One in spirit and purpose through 
all the joys and sorrows of more than 
thirty years, and in spite of the strug- 
gles and trials that always attend those, 
who, regardless of material reward, 
choose the right because it is right, this 
happy couple have ever kept even step in 
the march of progress. Happy is the 
man, who, no matter what wrongs he 
receives from his fellow men in the strug- 
gles of life, can, at the close of each day, 
turn to his own home, knowing that 
whoever else is false, there is oiie y at 
least, who is true and whose loving faith 
in him never fails. Especially does the 
worker in the field of reform need such a 
place of refuge, where he can get re- 
newed faith in human love, renewed con- 
fidence in human integrity, renewed 
hope in the ultimate triumph of the 
right, and consequent renewal of strength 
for the labor yet to come. Fortunate is 
the man who is blessed with such a 
home — doubly fortunate he who appre- 
ciates his great blessing. 

Young Bowman's high school educa- 
tion, though better than, in his early 
youth, he had hoped ever to receive, was 
not satisfactory to him. It served only to 
show the vast fields of inquiry that lay 
beyond, and wdiich he could not explore 
unless better prepared by mental disci- 
pline. He accordingly entered upon a 
three-years' course in the University of 
Virginia, which he found of incalculable 
value in his future career. Besides preach- 
ing. Professor Bowman devoted himself to 



WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



69 



the cause of education in his native State, 
including two years' service in the Ashe- 
ville Female College. He was about to 
establish an educational institution of 
his own in Bakersville, N. C, to be 
called "The People's College," when his 
theological views so changed that he gave 
up his plan, knowing that he would not 
be sustained by the people of that ortho- 
dox community. The following is from 
a statement recently made by Professor 
Bowman, concerning his growth out of 
orthodoxy. He writes: 

" Reasoning as to the love and the 
goodness of God in connection with a 
hell of endless torment, I said: 'Had I 
foreseen that a certain number of my 
children would be miserable to all eter- 
nity, I would not voluntarily have 
become their father. Had God foreseen 
such a destiny awaiting any of his crea- 
tures, would he have brought them into 
being ? If so, then I am more merciful 
than God.' For various other reasons, 
equally conclusive, I was compelled to 
abandon the doctrine of endless punish- 
ment. I had been taught that it was 
wrong to reason about such things, but I 
could not help it. Believing, as I then 
did, that such use of reason was an act of 
enmity to God and a peril to the soul, I 
prayed earnestly that my tendency to so 
be taken from me. But my 
prayer was not answered. I continued 
to reason. The result was, I found it 
necessary either to abandon the Bible or 
to put another interpretation upon its 
teachings. I chose the latter, and in the 
light of the 'higher criticism ' I 1 • 
a Cniversalist. I still held to the Bible 
as the infallible word of God, but it was 
redeemed 10 my mind from the horrible 
meanings given to it by orthodoxy. 
This was a long stride toward liberation — 
a great change for the better. The 
difference between a universe with an 
orthodox hell in it and one without that 
foul blot is a din 
to the benevolent soul.'' 

But this new 
things had its drawbacks, 
soon learned. He was no lonf 



ered a safe teacher for the young, and no 
longer was he a well-paid sermonizer, for 
young or old. He commenced preaching 
Universalism — working for people who 
hold fast to the hope that all will be 
saved. Such never pay as liberally as do 
those who are striving by aid of the 
priest to escape the damnation of hell. 
Professor Bowman therefore was obliged 
to earn his living by the labor of his 
hands. He cleared off some wild land, 
cutting the wood, grubbing up the roots, 
and preparing the soil, until he had a 
well cultivated farm, on which he sus- 
tained his family by hard labor during the 
week, and on Sunday pointed out to his 
Universalist brethren the way toward a 
higher and better life on earth. After 
five years of such work, he went to 
Atlanta, Ga., and organized the first 
Universalist Church of that city. He 
was successful in his new field, but after a 
few years, becoming interested in the 
writings of Andrew Jackson Davis, and 
having now time for study, he began an 
investigation of the Harmonial Philos- 
ophy, and without much aid from the 
phenomena of Spiritualism, he became 
convinced of its essential truths. With 
him to be convinced is to act. He 
therefore severed his connection with the 
Universalists, and in 1881 organized a 
Spiritual society in Atlanta. He also 
edited a Spiritual magazine called The 
, and later a weekly publi- 
cation called /./ .' For Thinkers, which 
ifterward combined with 
now i '..-■ Light of Truth y Cincin- 
nati. After speaking for the Spiritual 
in Atlanta a year, he accepted an 
invitation to go to Cincinnati, where he 

remained as speaker for the Spiritual 

and a half, Coma ruing 

his growth out of Universalism, Pn 

BOW man writes: 

"After eight thought and 

iing as a Cniversalist minister, not- 
withstanding the great breadth and 
brightness of my new faith as compared 
with the old, 1 found myself again ham- 
with limitations which had 

broken. These limitations wire tl 






yo 



WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



Book and One Savior ideas. Although 
the change from the orthodox to the 
liberal theology was a very decided 
change, yet it was still theology — a bind- 
ing of the mind and conscience to tra- 
ditional sources of authority, and super- 
natural revelation. I saw that the theo- 
logical plane had to be wholly abandoned, 
and that I must henceforth trust to abso- 
lute liberty of thought and conscience, un- 
trammeled by authoritative limitations to 
any one book, savior, creed, or system of 
religion. \ Authority must not be accepted 
as truth, but truth must be made the 
basis of authority. This second transi- 
tion (the change from theology to phil- 
osophy) was made, and I found myself 
with the universe for my Bible, the soul 
of the universe ior my God, obedience to 
its laws for my Savior, and the dictates of 
conscience, reason, and experience for 
my authority. I am free to coufess that 
this surrender of the personal for the 
impersonal, the definite for the in- 
definite, the narrow for the boundless, is 
to launch the barque of an ordinary mor- 
tal upon a very wide sea. But every 
sailor knows it is safer on the bosom of 
the great deep than in the shallows of the 
shore, though the sailing may be less 
spirited and the voyagers less boisterous, 
because the waters are calmer, and the 
storms less violent, than along the surfy 
coasts and the narrow channels of dog- 
matism! " 

In 1884, Professor Bowman left Cincin- 
nati with his family and went to New 
.Mexico, where he expected to join aco- 
Operative colony (since disintegrated), 
but on investigation he concluded to not 
do so, and engaged in other work, first 
as a laborer, then as clerk, then studied 
law, practised three years in thecourtsof 
races, and finding such employ- 
ment uncongenial, he went to Tucson, 
where lie became Principal of the High 
School and c itv Superintendent of Public 
Schools. In 1890, In- came to California, 
lectured For a Spiritual society in Los 
Angeles two years, stumped the State for 

John P. Weaver in is<,.>, returned to Los 
Angeles and organized the church of the 



New Era in 1893, was tne People's Party 
candidate for Congress in the sixth dis- 
trict in 1894, and has since resided in 
Los Angeles, most of the time in charge 
of the Church of the New Era. 

Professor Bowman has six daughters 
and one son — all bright, active, progres- 
sive young people, Three of the daugh- 
ters are married, the eldest to James G. 
Clark, Jr., son of the people's greatest 
reform poet and singer. 

As a fitting close to this brief sketch 
of the reform work of Professor Bowman, 
the following extract is taken from an 
account written by him concerning his 
present position in relation to religion, 
and the circumstances that led to the 
organization of his reform church. He 
writes: 

" In the transition from the theological 
to the philosophical plan, I have not 
abandoned religion. I only view the 
subject from a different standpoint and 
treat it in a different manner. Under the 
philosophic regime, I am free to investi- 
gate, criticize, and judge in matters of 
religion as on all other subjects. Under 
theology, one cannot do this, but must 
accept and believe — the penalty for fail- 
ure being eternal death. Theology as- 
sumes to be identical with religion, but 
philosophy discriminates between the 
two. Religion is something essential 
and permanent in the very nature of man. 
Theology is but a system of doctrines 
and theories growing out of religion. 
Religion is innate in man's spiritual 
nature; theology is an exotic planted in 
the mind by education, drawing its life 
and nourishment from the religious sen- 
timent, but shaped according to environ- 
ments. Religion, subjectively, in man, 
is a constant quantity; objectively, its 
external expression in theological dog- 
mas and rituals is a variable quantity, 
differing according to the ethnic and 
historic peculiarities of each case. 

"The abandonment of any particular 
scheme of theology or form of worship is 
not the abandonment of religion any 
more than would the rejection of any 
particular theory of government, thera- 






WILLIAM CLAYTON BOWMAN. 



*7 



peutics, or morality be the repudiation 
of the science of sociology, medicine, or 
ethics. The so-called liberalists, who 
make war on religion itself because of 
the errors and absurdities of theology, 
are as unreasonable as if they should 
war against chemistry or astronomy 
because the ancients held such crude and 
unscientific views on these subjects. 
The art of building must not be destroyed 
because our ancestors built so rudely. 
The true reformer comes not to destroy, 
but to fulfil. Religion, iunate in man, 
has found expression in accord with 
human development. Modern religion 
is a branch of civilization, not an unnat- 
ural excrescence upon it. It should, 
therefore, be treated as all other branches 
of civilization are treated — not warred 
against, but improved upon. The primi- 
tive gods and primitive religions need 
civilizing as much as primitive modes of 
agriculture or navigation. As a spiritual 
being, man can no more abandon religion 
than he can, as a physical being, aban- 
don the atmosphere or the sunshine. 

11 So, although I have been compelled 
to relinquish my faith in the entire sys- 
tem of theology or ' plan of salvation,' 
yet I bold on to religion as a nee 
factor in human life, and to a church as 
necessary to represent the claims and 
conserve the interests of religion in the 
world, believing such to be the highest 
claims and the most important interests 
of humanity. But, having rejected the 
theological foundations on which exist- 
ing churches stand, it became necessary, 
before a church could be inaugurated 
under the nem idea, that a new plan on 



a new basis should be devised for the 
new church. This new plan was the out- 
growth of many years of experience, but 
more especially of my California experi- 
ence. After lecturing two years in Los 
Angeles on Spiritualism, and on religious, 
social, and political reforms, and becom. 
ing deeply interested in the great third- 
party movement, I became convinced 
that all reforms aiming at the overthrow 
of wrong and the establishment of justice 
are, in their deepest meaning, essentially 
religious, and, as such, should be taken 
into the church as a part of its practical 
work, and as a necessary part of true 
religion. This conviction was followed 
by the thought: We must have a church 
of the new era to realize this ideal — a 
church broad enough and fearless enough 
to advocate all righteousness and all 
truth, irrespective of ecclesiastical cus- 
toms and theological traditions. My 
thought was communicated to kindred 
minds, and the result was the organiza- 
tion of ' The Church of the New Era,' 
devoted not to the propagation of any 
creed, but to the advancement of uni- 
versal truth for the truth's sake, and 
for the promotion of every human in- 
terest, social, intellectual, moral, civil, 
and religious. The Articles of Incorpora- 
tion provide that in matters of belief and 
opinion there is to be absolute liberty of 
mind to accept whatever is proved or 
seems probable, and to reject whatever 
is disproved or seems improbable, un- 
prejudiced in all matters not yet investi- 
gated — truth alone being the object 
sought, and the only authority relied 

upon." 



MARY DANA SHINDLER 



Through the kindness of Herman 
Snow the author is enabled to present 
the following interesting sketch of the 
life of an earnest, aspiring woman. The 
sketch was prepared by Mr. Snow several 
years ago for publication in the Carrier 
Do vie: 

"Mary Dana Shindler was the daugh- 
ter of Reverend B. M. Palmer, D. D., 
a leading Presbyterian minister of 
Charleston, S. C, having been born 
into this life in the year 1810. Here, 
at the very center of a conserva- 
tive and slave -holding oligarchy, 
she received her earliest impressions, 
social and religious; yet, starting from 
such a point in her earthly career, she 
eventually not only freed herself from 
the old theological shackles, but with 
her large intuition and earnest aspiration 
she advanced onward, first into a liberal 
Unitarianism, then into Spiritualism, and 
finally into the position of an earnest 
worker into the Labor Reform move- 
ment, oue of her latest literary efforts 
having been the publication of a book of 
songs for the working people. 

" My first knowledge of the subiect of 
tli is sketch dates back to about the year 
1839, when a copy of her 'Southern 
Harp 3 fell into my hands and at once 
interested me, particularly from the 
depth and tenderness of its religious 
thought and aspiration, The author 
then bore the- name of Mary S. B. Dana, 
from her firsl marriage, she being a 
widow at the time. Tin- main feature of 
tin- work is tlie adaptation of words of 

religious significance to music already 

popularly known and loved. The fol- 
lowing is a quotation from the introduc- 
tory lines: 

There was a time when all to me was 

light; 

No shadow stole across my pathway 

bright. 



I had a darling sister — but she died. 

For many years we wandered side by side, 

And oft these very songs she sung with 
me; 

No wonder, then, that they should plain- 
tive be. 

I had an only brother, and he died, 

Away from home and from his lovely 
bride. 

And not long after, those I loved too 
well, 

Pale — cold — and still — in death's em- 
braces fell; 

In two short days on me no more they 
smiled, 

My noble husband and my only child! 

'Twas sorrow made me write these plain- 
tive lays, 

And yet if sad they are, they end in 
praise. 

-A- * * X * * X * 

"The volume contains nearly fifty 
songs, all written by our friend in her 
early years, and adapted to music chosen 
by her. Most of these are of a plaintive 
character, but occasionally there is one 
of a cheerful, even of a joyful, strain. 

" I have thus spoken somewhat full)' of 
this earl)- work of our friend, under the 
impression that it is now out of print, 
and not likely to be seen by my readers; 
also because it signally illustrates the 
condition of one of gentle and affection- 
ate make whilst laboring under the 
double burden of false religious ideas, 
and of deep personal sorrow. 

"But the time was at hand when our 
friend was to find deliverance from the 
dark shadows of the old theology. 
Urged on by her sincere love of the 
truth, and aided, doubtless, by unseen 
helpers through her large inspirational 
capacity, she was enabled successfully to 
investigate and reject the accepted ortho- 
doxy with which she was surrounded. 
She began upon the doctrine of the 
Trinity, but eventually extended her 
investigation throughout the entire sys- 
tem of Calvinism. The result was, that 
in spite of the powerful adverse influ- 






MARY DANA SHIXDLER. 



i73 



ences of her social and church surround- 
ings, she became satisfied of the falsity 
of the distinctive doctrines of the church 
in which, as the daughter of its minister, 
she had been brought up, and became 
publicly known as a Unitarian. A great 
commotion this created throughout her 
widely extended circle of relatives and 
friends. She was at once beset with 
opposition in all its varied forms. Let- 
ters of remonstrance, of rebuke, and of 
entreaty came in upon her like a flood; 
but the brave woman stood her ground 
nobly; she did not suffer herself to be 
driven or coaxed from her advanced 
position. She could not, however, an- 
swer in detail the large influx of letters 
thus coming to her ; she, therefore, 
decided to publish a volume embodying 
the substance of her defense against the 
attacks of her oppouents generally. This 
was entitled, ' Letters to Relatives and 
Friends en the Trinity.' It was written 
in a good spirit, and with marked ability, 
so much so that it eventually came to be 
used quite extensively by Unitarians as a 
means of extending their faith. 

"In the year [848, whilst still living in 
South Carolina, the subject of our sketch 
was again married, this time to a clergy- 
man of the Episcopal Church, which 
event somewhat disturbed her relations 
with her many Unitarian friends, because 
it was reported that she had also re- 
nounced her Unitarianism and joined the 
Episcopal Church. Her own explanation 
of this passage of her life, as given in a 
letter of our subsequent correspondence, 
follows: 

I should probably never have married 
again, nor left the Unitarian ranks, if I 

bad not been suddenly deprived by what 

is called death of both my parents, which 
left me 10 much alone in the world, that 
when Mr. Shindler and myself were 
thrown together I was persuaded to unite 

my earthly lot with his. He married me, 

knowing that I was an honest Unitarian; 

DUt his Bishop and the South Carolina 

clergy, generally, were surprised at his 
choice, which I believe neither he nor I 
have ever had occasion to regret. 

"At the close of the war Mrs. Shindler 
with her husband removed to Nacog- 



doches, Texas, where, until his departure 
for the higher life, they seemed to have 
lived in the quiet routine of home and 
parish life. After that event, a son, Rob- 
ert C. Shindler, was the only near rela- 
tive left to our friend; and, unhappily for 
her future peace as a Spiritualist, that 
son, though otherwise dutiful and prom- 
ising, proved to be a bitter opponent of 
the new faith. It was this that consti- 
tuted the great trial of her later life, 
sending her often away among Spiritual- 
ists at the North, when otherwise she 
might have chosen the quiet of home. 

"In our successive glances at the life 
career of our friend, we have now arrived 
at the period of her positive activity as a 
Spiritualist. She had diligently investi- 
gated the claims of her new faith, travel- 
ing extensively to visit mediums and to 
compare experiences with others. The 
results she had published in a book, 
entitled, 'A Southerner among the Spir- 
its'; a volume which is still accessible to 
the public. Having now reached the 
time of the opening of my correspondence 
with her, I shall shape this sketch almost 
into the form of an autobiography, giv- 
ing my own comments only when needed 
to keep up the connection. 

Memphis, Tknn., April 19, 1877. 

I published my book here at my own 
expense. I wrote it to give my testimony 
to what I believe — yes, know — to be the 
truth, and I want to be heard. . . . 

1 am now residing with Mrs. Hawks, a 
very fine trance lecturer. . . ..She attracts 
large audiences of the most high-toned 
and intelligent people of this city. I 
mention her to you because I want to tell 
you of a project we have in view, not yet 

announced tothepublic. Her spirit band 

.and mine are anxious that we should 
establish a weekly spiritual paper, to be 
called Thi Voice of Truth... 1 think that 
between ns, she with her inspired lips, 

and also her pen, and I with my pen, we 
could edit a pretty fair paper; and a 

weekly is much needed at the South. .. . 

" it will be remembered that a month- 
ly magazine had for some time previous 
been published at Memphis by Dr. Wat- 
son. Eventually this became merged as 
a department of the new weekly. 



174 



MARY DANA SHINDLER 



" Under the date of May 22, 1877, Mrs. 
Shindler writes: 

I am about starting for my Texas home 
where I shall probably remain till Octo- 
ber.... My only son is bitterly opposed 
to Spiritualism, and is very unwilling for 
me to leave home. It is very sad, and is 
my " thorn in the flesh." May his spir- 
itual eyes be opened, is my constant 
prayer. He is one of the best, most 
moral young men I ever knew, and is a 
very affectionate son ; but a wall has 
risen up between us which is very painful. 

Nacogdoches, Tex., July 28, 1S77. 

My Good, Kind Friend and Brother: If 
you only knew how much good your let- 
ters do me — how your heart's warm tide 
flows into mine — you would rejoice that 
you have it in your power to do so good 
a work as to comfort the one who is at 
present living in a benighted region with 
not one human being near who can 
understand orappreciate the only subjects 
of thought in which she is interested. . . . 

I will tell you all about our projected 
paper, The Voice of Truth. From first to 
last I have been led along; and even 
about the publication of my book I was 
dubious till the last moment, not being 
absolutely certain that I was doing right. 
I spent the last two months in Memphis 
with Mrs Hawks, an inspirational medi- 
um of rare powers, and of great purity 
and spirituality of character. Her guides 
proposed and urged the project, and 
were particularly positive in the direction 
that I should be associated in the editor- 
ship; and then I had intimations from 
my spirit band to the same effect; and 
these intimations came to me so in many 
ways, sometimes really startling, that I 
was forced into a conditional consent. . . . 
I suppose my portion of the work will be 
to write, write, write ; and select such 
matter as I think interesting and 
profitable. 

Sept. 1 6th . . I have been trying to get 
to Memphis for the last month, for I am 
very much needed there to assist in the 
issue of our first number of The Voice of 
Truth, but my presence at home seemed 
almost indispensable. 

I have not been idle this summer. I 
have been collecting matter for the paper, 
both original and selected, and have 
quite a store of material on hand. 
Though my brain is not large, it is terri- 
bly active; if it were not for that I might 
become mediuniistic enough to receive 
help through my own organism; but I 
am never "passive" a moment when 
awake. Rut let me tell vou something 
funny. Every night, before retiring, I 



'sit with a pencil and paper and write to 
myself as from my spirit friends; but 
cannot, for the life of me, tell whether I 
am not doing it all. Sometimes I can 
write, and sometimes not. At any rate, 
reading over these communications is a 
comfort to me, and that is sdmethiug. 

"Not long after, Mrs. Shindler found 
herself regularly harnessed into the edi- 
torial life at Memphis. She must have 
been very busy, working hard as leading 
editor of the new Spiritualist paper, the 
numbers of which came out regularly for 
about six months, containing an unusual 
proportion of editorial matter, written in 
the free, flowing, and interesting style of 
the leading editor. I think that the 
paper was becoming quite extensively 
popular, and might have continued with 
some degree of permanence, had it not 
been for unforeseen adverse condi- 
tions, soon to be noticed. Owing to 
this very busy life in which she was 
engaged, several months elapsed before I 
received another letter from my friend. 
But under date of February 28, 1878, after 
apologizing for the delay, she wrote: 

I knew I was undertaking an arduous 
task when I consented, after the earnest 
solicitations of 1113^ earth — and so far as I 
can judge, my spirit— friends to engage 
in the editorship of a weekly journal; 
but if I can only go on with it, I shall 
feel thankful for the opportunity of pour- 
ing my little bucketful on to the tidal- 
wave which is now sweeping over the 
earth, bearing away the rubbish of old 
systems which are tumbling and falling 
all around us. 

" The following extracts are taken from 
a letter dated at Memphis, April 23, 1878: 

I am receiving cheering letters from 
many quarters, and feel thankful that 
my first attempt at editorship has been 
so favorably received. It is pleasant 
work for me, only my task is rather too 
severe. I do not mind writing the 
articles, that is the pait I love; but the 
responsibility of filling the paper with a 
variety of interesting matter, worries me 
considerably. The proof-reading also is 
no easy work. You need not be uneasy 
about my vacating the editorial chair for 
a while, for I shall continue to write, es- 
pecially on certain subjects, and send 
matter to the paper by mail. But my 
brain has been on the strain too long, and 



MARY DANA SHIXDLER. 



i75 



I am admonished that I must break away 
and enjoy the quiet of .home for a season. 

" Soon after, leaving the immediate 
management in the hands of her assistant 
editor, Mrs. Hawks, whose husband was 
the business manager, and upon whom 
also rested the pecuniary responsibility 
of the enterprise, Mrs. Shindler returned 
to her Texas home, intending to spend 
the summer there. The passages from 
her letters which follow will sufficiently 
indicate the course of succeeding events: 

June 3, 1S78. 
I nearly broke myself down before I 
left Memphis, and ever since I have been 
at home I have found even the writing 
of a letter a grievous burden; yet occa- 
sionally a thought or a series of thoughts 
comes to me with such power that I am 
obliged to give them expression in a 
hastily penned article, which the next 
day I would not know to be mine, if it 
had not my signature. What kind of 
writing do you call tnat ? Inspirational or 
what? .... My home looks lovely. I 
have white, pink, and red tea roses in 
bloom, and many other flowers, which 
make the garden gay, while the mocking 
birds keep up a constant serenade. It will 
be very hard for me to break away when it 
becomes necessary for me to return to 
Memphis; but by that time I suppose I 
shall begin to long for the society of 
spiritualists. 

" In her next letter of June 22(1, Mrs. 
Shindler begins to manifest trouble and 
alarm at the state of things at Memphis. 
Mrs. Hawks had been taken dangerously 
ill. in view of which state of things is 
found the following anxious inquiry: 

What is to become of the Voice of 7) nth f 
In the present wearied condition of my 
brain I would not again undertake to 
carry it on alone 

"However, from the exigency of the 
case, it was found necessary to suspend 

the publication for three months. Then 

came on that terrible prevalence of the 

yellow- fever, tin- remembrance <»f which 

is still fresh in the public mind. This 
put an end to the noble enterprise of onr 
friends, as it did. for the time being, to 

almost every enterprise of that devoted 

city. 

"Under date of Kovembei 23d Mrs. 



Shindler thus writes of the final catas- 
trophe: 

I have had two or three letters from 
Mr. Hawks — she is not able to write a line. 
They are still sick and thoroughly dis- 
couraged. The whole family had the 
yellow fever and it has left both Mr. and 
Mrs. H. in a very nervous condition; and 
he writes that from financial and other 
considerations, there is no probability of 
resuming the publication of the Voice of 
Truth. It is one of the great disappoint- 
ments of my life, for I had formed a 
broad and comprehensive plan of action 
which was but just begun to be fulfilled; 
especially was this the case in regard to 
the topics of "Co-operation" and of 
" Woman and her Work." But I think I 
shall still go on writing upon the latter 
subject; and perhaps, if times grow better 
and I have a favorable opportunity, I 
may offer the result to the public in a 
book form. 

"Our friend now, for a time, felt that 
her occupation was gone, and that she 
w^as doomed to an unwelcome extension 
of her time of inaction and exile in the 
uncongeniality of her Texas home. But 
soon there were indications in her letters 
that her intensely active mind \\ 
work on other projects. She writes: 

I have been writing for the working 
people. My articles are not so much on 
the finance question, about which there 
are such differences of opinion. They 

are directed more to the hearts of those 
who can feel for the poor, and who hate 
monopoly, bribery, wicked legislation, 
and fraud of all descriptions. Letters 
are pouring in upon me from working 
men, thanking me for niv labors in behalf 

of the laboring classes, snd I feel that a 

higher power than mine has been my 
guide in this nnitter. 

" We soon alter find Mrs. Shindler in 

New York, where she remained till near 
the close (>r the year, keeping herself 
quite busy, especially with the pen, in 
tin- new work she seemed t<> have before 
her. Prom letters received during this 
period, I must limit myself to the ex 
tracts which follow : 

Before 1 left home 1 w is * i iting 
for tin- working people's part) . and 1 
also wrote .1 greal many prose articles, 

which were r\ tensivrl v copied into the 

labor reform paper*, till now 1 find my- 
self quite popular with the common 



176 



MARY DANA SHINDLER. 



people. . . .1 feel sure that this work has 
been chosen for me by niy angel friends, 
who seem to be leading me along, open- 
ing for me doors of usefulness all the 
time. . . .1 am at all times conscious that 
I am watched over and guided by the 
wise and good who have passed on before 
me; and I believe that they will preserve 
me from contamination while leading me 
into rough paths and to acquaintanceship 
with strange companions. . .Letters come 
to me from perfect strangers in all parts 
of the Union, gratefully thanking me for 
the sympathy expressed in my writings 
for suffering humanity, and I cannot help 
hoping that I am doing a good work; but 
be this as it may, I cannot choose for 
myself; I have been obliged to enter this 
field, and here I must stay until I can 
get leave of absence .... 

" Soon after, Mrs. Shindler returned to 
her home in Texas, and remained about 
a year; but early in the year 1881, being 
then past seventy years of age, she made 
another and a final visit to New York. 
Upon her final return to her Texas home 
our correspondence continued until the 
closing months of her earthly career, 
when her letters ceased. The announce- 
ment of her death, in February, 1883, 
reached me through the columns of a 
paper, but no particulars of the final 
hours. But we may safely infer that 
when the closing crisis came, whatever 
may have been the uncongeniality of the 
visible surroundings, there was an abun- 
dant concert of harmonious blendings 
close upon the borders of the two worlds 
where now was transpiring a most joyful 
transition. 

"Since her entrance into the unseen 
world I have had two interviews with her 
who is now my spirit friend, in the pres- 
ence of a mediumship of the most excel- 
lent and reliable character. During the 
first of these she said : ' I have had in 
mind continually almost since my pas- 
sage into this life to come en rapport with 
you and the medium through whom so 
many beautiful communications have 



been given. I thought first of the help 
it would be to me, and thought, too, of 
the pleasure. Tears are compensated for 
in this hour. So much that is grand and 
beautiful beyond expression opens to my 
vision! I am filled with the influence, 
but may not give expression to a tenth 
part of my feeling. . . .1 am with you now 
as ever in the wish to benefit others. 
Whatever I can do to assist in your work, 

I shall be privileged, I trust, to do A 

light is shining as far as the spirit eye 
can reach, and to me it seems that the 
whole universe must feel its power. Joy 
unspeakable is mine. I would that the 
whole world were so blessed.' 

"At our second interview, after I had 
nearly completed this article, it was said: 
'I am here to-day to speak of self. My 
earthly career is ended, and yet not 
ended. I am possessed of clearer per- 
ceptions of life and its duties than ever 
before. And, oh! how I long to be able to 
straighten out all the crookedness of my 
past! For sometimes I have been blinded 
by a zeal and enthusiasm not enlightened 
by wisdom. Yet, on the whole, I am 
happy to be able to say that I did the 
best I could. Your attempt to bring 
before the public a notice of my humble 
self, would flatter me, did I not know my 
many imperfections. If I had had more 
self-confidence, I might have used my 
powers more forcibly ; so please pass 
lightly over the past, and say of her of 
whom you have been writing, that since 
her entrance into the spirit life, she, like 
others, has become aware of the posses- 
sion of powers far beyond her own con- 
ception of her real self; and would 
gladly, had she the instruments so to do, 
devote years of time in humanitarian 
work ; for her heart still lingers with 
those she knew on the earth-plane, who 
were enslaved by circumstances and con- 
ditions, and in need of powerful helpers 
on this side of life.' " 



ANNA D. LOUCKS 



X 






The subject of this sketch was one of 
the pioneer mediums on the Pacific 
Coast, and did much for the education of 
both spirits and mortals during the 
years of her mediumistic work. Mrs. 
Loucks passed to the higher life from 
the Kings Daughters' Home in San 
Francisco, May 21, 1S93. Ofhermedium- 
ship and its value to the world, there is 
no one more competent to decide than 
that veteran Spiritualist, Herman Snow, 
who was at one time associated with Mrs. 
Loucks in the capacity of scribe, report- 
ing her seances, and publishing much 
valuable and interesting matter given by 
the spirit friends during her enhance- 
ment. The author can do no better than 
make extracts from a sketch written by 
Mr. Snow, and published in the Carrier 
DOVE some nine years ago, which will 
give the reader a clear idea of her noble, 
unselfish life and work. Mr. Snow says: 

" Among the many striking phases of 
our modern Spiritualism are some which 
go to show that we of this life are by no 
means the sole recipients of the more 
important benefits resulting from a clos e 
mediumistic relation between the two 
worlds. It is now well understood by 
the- more experienced in matters of the 
kind, that there is a mutual exchange of 
helps between spirits in and out of the 
earthly body; and many of our most de- 
voted mediums have given largely of" 
their capacities in aid of necessitous ones 
on the spirit Bide of life. Of medium- 
helpers Of this kind may be ranked— 
pre-eminently I think — Mrs. Anna Dan 
forth Loucks, who is well known to 
many of the earlier and well-established 
Spiritualists of San Francisco vicinity, 
Including the present writer, with whom 

daring a period of about eight years, she 
was engaged in a series of seances in aid 

of unfortunate ones upon the borders of 
the spirit world. This work was under 



the control and guidance of a band ot 
beneficent spirit workers, who were con- 
stantly seeking new methods of advanc- 
ing their work, and to which Mrs. Loucks 
had given herself up unreservedly and 
unselfishly. My own part of the work 
consisted in acting as the scribe of our 
seance, and otherwise aiding in their 
harmony and efficiency; also it belonged 
to me to publish to the world some of 
the more striking results. A regular 
record was kept of our proceedings from 
which was eventually published our vol- 
ume, "Visions of the Beyond, by a Seer 
of To-day " ; and also, afterwards, there 
was contributed to the different Spiritual- 
ist papers enough to fill another volume 
of like size had it been deemed best to 
publish another. It has been from my 
journal of the seances that I have gath- 
ered the materials for this brief sketch of 
the life work of the medium. 

' ' Mrs. Loucks is a native of New Hamp- 
shire, and in that .State her childhood and 
youth were passed, her family name being 
Dauforth. Later, she lived much in Bos- 
ton, but came to California whilst yet in 
youthful vigor, and here- she lived many 
years, mostly in San Francisco. She was 
married here, and for several years en- 
joyed a happy home-life, until, during 

the prevalence of one of our virulent 

epidemics, her husband was suddenly 

taken away, leaving her sadly alone and 
dependent in all the many years since 
that time, she has given the Btrength of 
lur life to the specialty of her medium- 
ship, the demands upon ber beinj 
exacting a character that she had but 
little strength for such other purpo 
might have enabled her to ( - irn fi 1 bei 
self the means of a comfortable support. 
Bui having a Btrong, personal disl 
engaging in anything like a regularly 
paid mediumship, and being encoui 

in the same direction by her hand, she 



i 7 8 



ANNA DANFORTH LOUCKS. 



was induced to depend upon voluntary 
contributions of friends to support her in 
her work. These, though at times liberal 
and sufficient, yet often failed, so that she 
sometimes suffered privations and want, 
all of which she was ready to endure 
rather than shrink from a work of relief 
to those in the spirit form, which to her 
seemed so real and important. She once 
told me that she would rather live on 
bread and water than give up this work. 
" Mrs. Loucks was a medium-seer, that 
is, she could see clearly spirit forms and 
scenery, and, when conditions were fa- 
vorable, as was generally the case with 
us, she could convey to me in clear and 
compact language, the thoughts of spirits 
with whom she was en rapport. She could 
also, at the same time, converse with me 
in answer to my questions, thus enabling 
me to exchange thoughts with this con- 
trolling band, or with the special objects 
of our relief; and sometimes such spoken 
words from one in the bodily form, prove 
to be of great importance as a starting 
point of relief. Important symbolic in- 
structions were also sometimes conveyed 
through this medium, as may be seen in 
the volume already alluded to. This 
mediumistic gift seems to have been a 
native endowment, though something was 
done for a further development in later 
life. On two occasions, as a part of seance 
proceedings, while Mrs. Loucks was still 
partially in her abnormal condition, the 
following concerning her earlier medium- 
istic experiences, given in her own lan- 
guage, will, I think, be found of special 
interest to the reader, although much 
abridged through lack of space. She says: 

I did not see much of special interest 
until I was about eight years of age. 
There, I see myself extremely restless 
and unsatisfied, especially with my want 
of opportunities for gaining the' mere 
rudiments of a common school education. 
Hut I now see that this deficiency in my 
early training was not, perhaps, a loss, 
for in proportion to the want of external 
advantages, so were my inward capacities 
of an intuitive character deepened. At 
times, a perfect Hood of jov would fill 
my being, and yet I knew not why nor 
whence it came. Then the tide of mv 



life would flow back to the other extreme 
of a restless dissatisfaction. I can now 
see that all this was of an educationary 
character, stimulating and enlarging my 
inward growth, and preparing me for the 
kind of work I had to do, far better than 
a store of general education, the want of 
which I was accustomed so deeply to 
deplore, would have done. 

The first remembered use of my vision- 
seeing was not far from the time of the 
death of my mother, I being then about 
twelve yeais of age. I clearly foresaw 
her death, even to the very position in 
which she was afterwards placed in the 
coffin, the infant child whose birth was 
her death being laid upon one arm at her 
side. About a month after, when most 
of the family were away, she came and 
partly showed herself to me, but the 
effect upon me was such that, as I have 
since been told, she withdrew herself from 
my vision. The earthly members of our 
family were greatly troubled when I told 
them of what had taken place, and said 
they should not again leave me so nearly 
alone. 

With my present illumination, I can 
look back and trace the wisdom-hand 
that has led me all the ways, being now 
recognized as the wa}S of wisdom and 
love, though at the time much has come 
to me in dark and doubtful forms. My 
father, who is now near me in his spirit 
form, says that in such cases we are " the 
blind led, but not by the blind." 

All along m}* life-course I have had 
this especial annoyance: I would seem 
to have a vivid consciousness of the 
active, inner state of those with whom I 
come into near relations, and so large a 
part of such inward life being of an evil 
or perverted character, I have often been 
impelled into apparent harsh judgments 
of those around me, although 1 have tried 
hard to curb myself in this tendency. 
Many a severe reproach have I thus in- 
curred when, as I now see it, I was no 
more blame-worthy than I am when, with 
the external eye, I see bodily deformities 
directly before me. 

Another tendency has greatly troubled 
me: All great sufferings and sorrows 
have been so far forshadowed that I have 
been made to tremble, and sometimes to 
cry out in an agony of apprehension, al- 
though the exact rature of the corning 
calamity could not be seen by me. This 
was especially the case at the time of my 
husband's transition which came sud- 
denly upon me. Even in that case the 
great suffering was whilst 1 was under a 
cloud of apprehension foreshadowing the 
calamity. When it was actually at hand, 
I was comparatively calm and sustained. 



ANNA DANFORTH LOUCKS. 



"At a later period, while in her normal 
conversational condition, Mrs. Loucks 
gave me some of the more interesting 
particulars of this departure. It seems 
that she herself took the almost exclusive 
care of her husband, and was entirely 
alone with him when the final crisis was 
reached. As she stood by the bedside, 
she clearly saw the process of the separa- 
tion of the spirit from the material body; 
and when it was fairly over, her dear 
one beamed upon her a genial and loving 
smile, playfully waving his hand toward 
her, but did not leave her near presence 
until he had advised her somewhat in 
regard to the disposal of the body, and 
other matters of immediate interest. 

" Before closing, some effort should be 
made more clearly to define the peculiari- 
ties of this mediumistic work of Mrs. 
Loucks. It was, I think, different in at 
least one important respect , from what had 
been generally known, even among ad- 
vanced Spiritualists. All such, from an 
early date, have been familiar with aiding 
ignorant and vicious spirits through medi- 
ums. But our work was by no means 
confined to aiding this class, for often 
individuals of advanced intelligence were 
made participants in the wise helping 
influence of our band. In such cases, 
the efforts were largely of an experi- 
mental character, aimed at once to a better 
understanding of the condition of a 
natural and easy transition from the 
earthly to the spirit life, and to a Qe< <!t d 
relief in certain instances wherein worthy 
persons had become victims of imperfect 
knowledge in this respect. Of course, 
such Bhould be regarded as exceptional 

Cases, the general order of the death 
transition being natural and of brief 
duration. Of the nature ;ind action of 

these o( casional obstructions in the pass 
age to the life beyond, but little can be 

known by any ofuS, much less DC clearly 

conveyed to others. But perhaps an im- 
perfect conception o| special Cases in view 
may be gathered from the following de- 
scriptive headings over the condensed 

accounts of some of our more recent 
seances published in the Spiritualist 



papers: "An Esthetic; How He Was 
Helped in Spirit Life"; ''Fashion's 
Victim"; "The Marble-Worker, His 
Head Crushed Beneath a Falling Col- 
umn ' ; "A Negative Innocent"; "The 
Hypochondriac" ; "A Maniac Restored" ; 
" Death by Starvation " ; "A Warning to 
Mesmerisers " ; "Killed by Drugs"; 
"Effects of a Violent Transition" ; "A 
Slave to Drink" ; "A Sympathetic Sub- 
ject"; "The Buried Miner; Crushed by 
the Falling Rock " ; " Release of a Spirit 
Long Confined in a Stone Burial Case " ; 
" Lost and Starved in the Adirondack 
Forest " ; " The Happy Sleep of an Aged 
One" ; "A Victim of Ante-Natal Ills" ; 
"She Fell from a Swing and Lost Her 
Physical Body"; "Waiting for the Res- 
urrection Day." During my entire experi- 
ence probably some hundreds of cases of 
a similar character have passed before 
me, and what has most forcibly struck 
me has been the constant variety as well 
as the novelty and dramatic naturalness 
of each case. There has been but little 
repetition, each individual exhibiting 
characteristics of his own, almost as 
much so as if a procession of marked 
individuals in the bodily form had 
passed in review before me; and, yet 
there have been certain characteristics in 
Conduct belonging to these cases gener- 
ally, and this is what ought to be, since 
the action of natural law should be 
uniform on the borders of the two worlds 
as well as in them. It has been found, 
for instance, that whenever a dormant or 
bewildered spirit first enters upon a 

course of recovery under the influences 
brought to bear upon him by the methods 
of one band, it has invariably followed 
that tin- thread of natural life has been 

renewed at the point of the lost earthh 

lucidity or consciousness, it is verj 

much so in those c;ims of our earthh 

life wherein from accidental conci 

of the brain the unconsciousness, when 

at length ended, results in the taking np 
Of the thread Of thought or speech at the 

precise i oint where it was Interrupted by 
the accident it is from inch points of 
renewed contact with earthly conditions 



i8o 



ANNA DANFORTH LOUCKS. 



that the long dormant or bewildered 
spirit gains a foothold for advancing into 
the actualities of the spirit life and its 
open ways of progress. 

" It was not claimed that the methods 
of our band are the only means of such 
deliverances; it was only implied that 
some such action through an earthly 
medium is more prompt in its results 
than that which comes through the nat- 
ural operation of law as it acts in the 
spirit spheres. It was said that, without 
some such action, ages might elapse 



without a full deliverance; also, that 
what was now being done was not a tithe 
of what might be done through mediums 
if rightly employed in this direction. 
Hence it appears that this especial work 
was comparatively and necessarily a 
limited one, and in seeking out the 
especial subjects of its action, reference 
was constantly had to those who were 
naturally best fitted to become useful 
workers for humanity, when they should 
become fully established in the ways of 
the new life." 





AARON W. PRATT. 



AARON W. PRATT. 



Mr. Pratt was born in the town of 
Williamson, Wayne County, New York, 
November 24, 1S19. His birthplace was, 
at that time, in the " Wilds of the West," 
a heavily timbered country requiring 
hard labor on the part of the pioneers 
who penetrated its forests to fell the 
trees, clear the land, and make the wil- 
derness yield place to fruitful farms and 
fragrant orchards. Such was the home 
life and material surroundings into which 
was ushered the subject of this sketch 
making his early life one of toil and pri- 
vation. His only schooling was hard 
labor and good moral training. As he 
approached the years of manhood he was 
led to investigate and inquire into the 
claims of Christianity which, after a 
time, resulted in his acceptance of the 
"terms of grace" according to theolog- 
ical standards, and rejoice in the confi- 
dence of a soul-conversion or new birth 
as taught by his spiritual advisers. This 
change of heart was followed by zealous 
and active work as a Christian for three 
or four years; but careful observation and 
note of what seemed to characterize high 
professions in the various churches led 
him to gradually become an agnostic in 
regard to religious teachings. Yet, bis 
aspiring nature could not be satisfied 
With a doubtful or neutral position; he 
must know the why and wherefore of life 
— its purposes and their fulfilment. 

With earnestness of purpose, strong de- 
termination, and a desire to know some- 
thing of the way in which tin- All Father 

designed His children to walk in their 

journey through earth lib-, be began Ins 

investigations along new lines, and with 
different motives, 'flu- one prayer in bis 
heart by day ami night was tin- prayer 
for light and knowledge, 'flu- answer 
came with a spiritual illumination in 

Which be saw tbe faces of shining angels, 
and a scene of transcendent glory and 



loveliness was unveiled before his aston- 
ished and wondering eyes. His soul was 
flooded with unutterable joy and peace; 
the great truth of immortal existence — 
the solution of the mysterious problem 
of death — why we live and for what pur- 
pose is living — all had answers. 

Spiritual influx comes in great waves. 
It has its periods of ebb and flow — its 
low tide and its flood. While all the 
world were discussing the wonderful 
" Rochester rappings," on the quiet little 
farm at Williamson, the young farmer 
was receiving the marvelous revealments 
that settled the question forever in his 
mind as to the reality of the future life, 
and the conscious existence of man after 
the change called death. His views of 
life were broadened, the terrible dread of 
death vanished, and living became a joy 
to him, even if occupied with hard work 
and tasks disagreeable and uncongenial. 
As the new light dawned more fully upon 
his consciousness, his sensitively attuned 
nature absorbed, assimilated, and made 
it a part of his Character. He fully rec- 
ognized tbe fact that all reform must 
begin with sill"; and be lived bis bumble 

life for its own perfection, always ready 
t<> a-sist others, seeking by every means 
to educate them, and in bis humblesphere 

to do all tlu- good, alleviate all the suffer- 
ing, and give all tbe assistance in bis 
pOW( r. At times his inspiration has been 
prophetic, and tin- clouds lowering in the 
horizon cast ominous shadows upon the 

sensitive dial of his soul as he foietold 

their significance. 

bike all others who have dared t«> step 

out of the old and beaten paths of' ac- 
cepted theological error, Mr. Pratt was 

destined to meet with opposition and de- 
rision among those Of biSOWU household, 
l'.ut nothing could chill tlu- ardor of" his 

purpose or shake- his determination to 

stand by the truth as revealed to his mi- 



182 



AARON W. PRATT. 



derstanding, as it was based upon, and in 
harmonious accord with, universal law as 
demonstrated in nature. 

Mr. Pratt is not a medium for physical 
phenomena, and can convey to others 
but a small fraction of what he receives 
interiorly; yet a silent, potent influence 
or power attends him, which is felt by all 
with whom he comes in contact, that is 
sufficient to cope with all opposition. 
This power seems to command for him a 
large blessing, as he constantly strives 
for the highest and best attainable, and 
receives, therefore, spiritual gifts and 
illumination as the gentle dews descend 
from Heaven and are absorbed into 



the bosom of the thirsty, expectant 
earth. 

Mr. Pratt resides in Edgar, Nebraska, 
where he maintains himself by labor on 
his farm, although now past his seventy- 
sixth year. He is still in perfect physical 
health, as elastic as in youth, and the 
perfect expression of a harmonious life in 
accord with the teachings of the divinity 
within his own soul, and as revealed from 
the higher shores of life and the realm of 
causation. He is truly an embodiment of 
the principles of the spiritual philosophy, 
and one of the few surviving pioneers 
who dared to brave the sneers and scorn 
of the world for its vindication. 





■i 




MRS. S. COWELL. 






MRS. S. COWELL. 



Among the many mediums who have 
come to the front in Spiritualism on the 
Pacific Coast during the past few years, 
no one stands more conspicuous in the 
work than does the subject of this 
sketch. Since her first appearance upon 
the Spiritual rostrum, seven years ago, 
she has been kept constantly engaged, 
both in public and private, and her 
work has received the highest indorse- 
ments from societies and individuals 
who have been the recipients of her min- 
istrations. Mrs. Cowell made her first 
appearance as a platform test medium in 
the City of Oakland, where she has re- 
sided many years, and where she has a 
beautiful home, and a large circle of 
true and devoted friends. It was no won- 
der that the Spiritual gifts which had 
been hers from earliest childhood, al- 
though not understood or comprehended 
by herself or her parents until they had 
been the source of much suffering, both 
:a1 and mental, should at last, un- 
der the pleasant surroundings and har- 
monious influences of her married life, 
blossom forth into the beautiful fruition 
of a grand and holy mediumship, that 
was destined to fill all her mature years 
with a joy and peace unspeakable, and 
bring comfort and happiness to thousands 
of earth's weary and benighted ones, ii 
was but a just and fitting compensation 
for all that she had suffered as a child on 
account of being possessed with powers 

not in Common with other children, but 

belonging to the class of superphysical 
senses, which enabled her to Bee clair- 

vovantlv, and hear < lairaudient 1 \ , 

when too young to understand the mean- 
ing of the Bights and Bounds coming to 

her from the spirit side of life. These 
strange experiences wen- the cause of 
frequent punishments and reproof from 

those who, as ignorant as herself ol their 
true source, attributed them to Satanic 



influence, and as such to be condemned 
and "cast out" if possible. Notwith- 
standing the trials and hardships of her 
young life, still the angel teachers did 
not abandon their favored instrument, 
but patiently waited until the time should 
come when they could unfold and use 
her wonderful powers for the good of 
humanity and her own highest develop- 
ment. 

Mrs. Cowell is well known throughout 
the State of California, having received 
calls to lecture and give platform tests 
from all the leading societies in the prin- 
cipal cities from San Diego to San Fran- 
cisco. She has been the recipient of 
many valuable testimonials from individ- 
uals who have received remarkable tests, 
both public and private, and has been 
highly indorsed by societies wherever 
she has appeared. The leading societies 
of Los Angeles, San Jose, and Oakland 
keep her almost constantly engaged 
upon their respective platforms, with 
but short intervals of rest between en- 
gagements. She has also had a number 
of calls from Sacramento, and filled the 

engagements with great satisfaction to 

all concerned. 

During the various camp-meet ings held 
in Oakland, Mis. Cowell was alw 

conspicuous worker, and whatever of 
is has attended such efforts of late 
years has been largely owingtoher in- 
domitable energy and perseverance. She 
was one of the most prominent of the 
leading upeakersand mediums at the first 
camp-meeting held by the Spiritual] 
Southern California at their Convention 
at Santa Monica during the Bummer of 
and, at the close of that meeting, 
lira, Cowell united her hues with "iher 

prominent mediums, and held a Spirit- 
ual Congress in Music Hall, Lob Angeles, 
which attracted large audiences, ;m ,i 
aroused a public interest in Spiritualism 



184 



MRS. S. COWELL. 



never before known in that City of Priests 
and Masses. After the Congress closed 
its sessions, Mrs. Cowell, Doctor Schles- 
inger and Mrs. Frietag formed a me- 
diunaistic combine, and, with the as- 
sistance of Mr. S. D. Dye and Mrs. 
Schlesinger, they engaged the Los An- 
geles Theater and commenced a series 
of most successful meetings, which 
continued seven weeks, and resulted 
in the organization of The Harmonial 
Spiritualists' Association, which retained 
the Theater, and held very large and 
popular meetings, with the best talent 
available on the platform, after the pro- 
jectors of the movement had been obliged 
to return to their respective homes to fill 
other engagements. That Society is 
now the leading one of Southern Cali- 
fornia. Since its organization both Doc- 
tor Schlesinger and Mrs. Cowell have 
been recalled to occupy its platform, 
and others long prominent in the work 
have been engaged for the near future. 

Mrs. Cowell's tests regarding business 
matters are remarkable for their clear- 
ness of detail and accuracy. Many testi- 
monials of a private nature, and other- 
wise, are in the possession of the writer 
from grateful souls who have been helped 
materially, as well as spiritually, through 
the advice they have received from spirit 
friends through this grand medium. 
One instance of this kind occurred in 
Oakland, where parties were told con- 
cerning matters of business pertaining to 
an inheritance due them in England, 
which resulted in a trip to the Mother 
Country by the gentleman interested, 
and of his coming into possession of his 
property amounting to twenty thousand 
dollars. In this instance Mrs. Cowell's 
guides managed the entire matter, and 
gave explicit directions as to the proper 
course to be pursued by the parties in- 
terested, in order to obtain their rights. 

Dining the camp-meeting at Santa 
Monica, Cal., Airs. Cowell, while giving 
tests from tin- platform, said to a young 
in in in the audience that his father, who 
Lived in England, had recently passed to 
spirit life. The young man admitted 



that his father was in England, but that 
he believed him to be alive and well. A 
few days later the gentleman sought an 
interview with Mrs. Cowell at the close 
of an evening meeting and stated that he 
had just received news from home say- 
ing that his father had died, the time of 
his death corresponding exactly with the 
date fixed by Mrs. Cowell at the time she 
gave the test. 

The Herald of Light, of San Diego, 
speaks of Mrs. Cowell's visit to that city 
as follows: 

Mrs. R. Cowell and her genial hus- 
band made a host of friends during their 
three weeks' visit to San Diego, and it 
was with regret that we bid them fare- 
well. During her brief sojourn here, 
Mrs. Cowell's clairvoyant eyes have 
brought to light hidden documents of 
much value to the owners, and in some 
cases, keeping them out of the courts; 
they have unraveled mysteries and 
brought peace and comfort to sorrowing 
souls. 

The jMedua//, of Los Angeles, speaks of 
her first appearance before a Spiritual 
Society in that city in a pleasing para- 
graph. It says: 

Mrs. R. Cowell of Oakland occupied 
the platform of the First Spiritual So- 
ciety last Sunday afternoon and evening, 
and made a fine impression upon all. 
The lady is a powerful medium and a 
pleasing, eloquent speaker, both while 
under control and in her normal state. 
Her discourses are given under control 
and she never knows beforehand what 
the subject is to be. Her tests, to which 
she devotes most of the time, are given 
with great rapidity and wonderful accu- 
racy. She will remain with the Society 
during this mouth, and those who miss 
the opportunity of hearing her will surely 
regret it. 

In the same paper, a few months later, 
Mrs. Amanda Wiggin, a pioneer medium 
and speaker, pays a just and fitting trib- 
ute to genuine mediumship in the follow- 
ing words: 

Editor Medium — I believe honest, gen- 
uine mediumship should be recognized, 
and such mediums be known to all 
Spiritualists. This is why I pen these 
lines. 

Our sister, and medium, Mrs. S. Cow- 
ell, who has just closed her engagement 



MRS. S. COWEI.L. 



>8 5 



in Los Angeles and has returned to her 
home in Oakland, Cal., is a fine medium 
and a good woman; any one may be 
proud of her friendship, and we need not 
be ashamed to introduce her to our friends 
and receive her into our homes. We 
feel the angels' blessing while so doing 
for she is a faithful worker, who leaves a 
clean, wholesome feeling wherever she 
goes. Any body of Spiritualists needing 
such a medium can, with confidence, ap- 
ply to her and feel secure in hiring her. 
At a circle of over forty persons I heard 
her give more messages than any other 
medium I ever listened to. I commenced 
the investigation of Spiritualism in 1862, 
and have bad great experience with me- 
diums, but I never met one whose works 
leave a better or more lasting infiueuce 
than Mrs. Cowell's. 

The following is a brief synopsis of an 
address delivered by Mrs. Cowell during 
a recent engagement in San Jose, Cal. 
The subject was, "Spiritualism; What Is 
It? and What Has It Done?" 

As usual, the lecture was so filled with 
the poetic fire of the spheres of light that 
it would be impossible to do it justice in 
a summarized report. However, we will 
endeavor to give a few of the thoughts 
conveyed in this lecture, robbing them 
of their poetic robes and the beautiful 
pictures surrounding them. 

" Spiritualism," her control said, "has' 
opened the flood-gates of wisdom to 
woman, and made her equal to man in 
every respect. It has raised the banner 
of light on the hills of the morning, and 
sent forth glory-crowned angels of light 
with glad tidings of great joy to the 
darkened world. 

" It brings out the better part of man- 
hood, and has lifted many a mortal from 
the mire and placed him upon the rock 
of truth, justice, and all that is noble in 
man. 

"Thoughts are things — as mortals 
think, so will be the spirit band they 
attract to their aid — legions of light or 
demons of darkness. 



" Your Bible is nothing but a record of 
miracles from cover to cover. But in 
reference to bringing back the dead, 
there are no dead to return; they have 
laid down the garments of life material 
and passed to the higher spheres of life 
immortal." 

An orthodox death scene was given, 
and the prayer of the departing one was 
" O, pray for me, for I go to a land I 
know not where !" " Alas for his creed- 
darkened soul ! But he knezu when the 
morning came." 

Then comes the scene of a good old 
Spiritualist who is about to pass out. He 
says, " I fear not the sea that rolls 
between me and my loved ones; I have 
the chart and compass, and dread not the 
voyage." 

"But you say, 'The old man was in 
his dotage.' But how do you account 
for the little child with golden locks 
who, in passing out, says, ' Good-by, but 
here comes father from the beautiful 
country to take me to the crystal streams 
of life immortal.' 

" The chair of science in your colleges 
will yet bring forth a science that will 
make yonder church tremble from its 
foundation." 

In reference to frauds and imposters 
who were duping the public, the control 
asked: "Did you ever see a truth with- 
out a counterfeit? " The injunction was 
then given, " Be not believers but 
knowers and doers." 

In concluding, the speaker said: 

When the voices come back to all 
through the misty scenes of life material, 
sorrowing will be no more; knowledge, 
joy, and peace will ' fill the world as the 
waters cover the sea.' 

" May you all be true Spiritualists, BO 
that you may be able to ' read your titles 
clear to mansions in the skies '—to homes 
of light and truth. '' 



J. S. LOVELAND. 



Professor J. S. Loveland was born in the 
Town of Stoddard, State of New Hamp- 
shire, on the twenty-first day of March, 
1S18. He is the seventh generation from 
Thomas Loveland of Glastonbury, Conn., 
from whom all the Lovelands in the 
United States have descended. The 
family came from England, and landed 
at Boston, Mass., prior to 1635, as during 
that year, in company with others, they 
made their way through the wilderness 
and settled in what is now Glastonbury, 
Conn. Some seventy members of the 
family were soldiers in the Revolu- 
tionary War, and Lovelands have been 
found on nearly, or quite, all the battle- 
fields of all our wars. The Professor's 
father was in the famous bayonet charge 
at Luudy's Lane, in the war of 1812; and 
also under Colonel Miller, who captured 
a British battery in the same campaign. 
A Doctor Dickerson, at a family reunion 
in Brighton, Ills., said of the Loveland 
family: " No enterprise is too difficult for 
their energy; no difficulties are insur- 
mountable, and no heights are too lofty 
for their aspiration. As a family they 
are equal to any, and surpassed by none." 

The father of the Professor was a poor 
man, and from his early boyhood he was 
compelled to grapple with hard work. 
His educational advantages were a few 
months each year in the common school, 
where only the rudiments of education 
were taught. Reading, writing, arithme- 
tic, grammar, and geography, with a little 
sprinkling of history was the extent of 
his studies up to his eighteenth year, when 
lie commenced teaching himself, but con- 
tinued it but for one winter. His family, 
like most of the prominent people in his 
native town, were freethinkers, and he 
grew up without the blight of a religions 
training; never attended a Sunday School, 
and for several years never went to any 
religious meetings whatever. But in his 



nineteenth year he worked for a farmer 
in the Town of Gilsum, who was a church 
member, and as several .of the young 
people went to church, he attended with 
them. The result was that, at a Meth- 
odist meeting, he was converted, and 
became a member of that organization, 
when about 19 years of age. And for 
sixteen years he continued a member of 
the M. E. Church. 

Within a few months after his conver- 
sion he had a "call to preach." This 
was a turning point in his history. Un- 
educated, poor, and bashful to the last 
degree, he struggled with the '! call," but 
when, at last, he consulted the older 
brethren and the preacher who had con- 
verted him, he found they had all been 
expecting such a "call." It is barely 
possible that their thought and expecta- 
tion had not a little to do with the "call," 
though it is not at all improbable that 
special Spirit influence is largely con- 
cerned in giving the "call to preach." 
At all events, soon after passing his 
twentieth year, he was on a "circuit" in 
Vermont as a Methodist preacher. He 
continued preaching some fourteen years, 
and when he withdrew could have had 
the best appointments in New England. 
During these years he managed to attend 
several terms in seminaries of learning, 
and also the first Methodist Theological 
School, so that, when he withdrew' from 
the church and ministry, he could read 
the Bible in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and 
English, and had been appointed Profes- 
sor of Mental and Moral Philosophy in 
an academy in Northern Ohio, but other 
calls and duties prevented his engaging 
in that work. 

It would readily be inferred that the 
early modes of thought and active intel- 
lectuality of the family would tend to 
produce serious questionings as to many 
of the tenets of Orthodox theology. And 



J. S. LOVELAND. 



187 



this inference became, in time, an ap- 
palling fact. The very foundations of 
his theology would crumble to pieces in 
the crucible of his intellect. Its glaring 
inconsistencies would stand out in as 
bold relief in the field of his conscious- 
ness as the granite mountains of his native 
state in the field of outer vision. How 
could he continue to preach ? There was 
always one complete answer to all the 
turmoil of an exacting reason. It was 
his experience. Had he not been ar- 
rested like Saul of Tarsus? Had he not 
been revolutionized in a day from con- 
firmed Atheism into a knowledge of Im- 
mortality ? Had he not the "Witness 
of the Spirit"? Did he not realize the 
overpowering ecstasies of his spiritual 
union with God? Did not the "Divine 
Power" attend and seal his preaching? 
Did not people fall as dead, and, in their 
entrancement, have wondrous visions of 
the spiritual world, and this under the 
preaching of the very doctrines which 
his reason rejected ? Here was the great 
difficulty: He did not, could not, for a 
long time, see but what the experiences 
were naturally and logically the outcome 
of the theological tenets of the creeds 
and articles of religion. Hence, he was 
held in what seemed an inextricable 
thrall. But during all these years of 
study, reasoning, and work, he was demon- 
strating principles, but could not fit them 

into a unitary System. linked, it was 

not till he bad become somewhat familiar 

with Spiritualism that a unitary system 
of thought became apparent in bis con- 
sciousness. Then all the seemingly iso- 
lated principles dropped into their proper 

place— they were all Bystemized of them- 
selves. 

Professor Loveland did not commence 

his investigations of Modern Spiritual- 
ism as do many, who need evidence Of 

the fad that decarnate spirits can mani- 
fest themselves to those still in the 

form. In the .Methodist Church he had 

seen cases of trance, win re spirits mani- 
fested themselves as clearly as he has 
ever seen in spiritual circles. The his 
tory of Methodism abounded with in- 



stances of the return and manifestation 
of spirits. Indeed, so satisfactory were 
these instances, that he has never been 
any more convinced than when a minis- 
ter of the M. E. Church. He commenced 
his investigation simply to see whether 
it was a reality or a fraud. It required 
but little to show the genuineness of the 
phenomena; and, hence, to command 
his assent to the fact. He had, however, 
little anticipated the bitter hostility with 
which the manifestations would be as- 
sailed by the church; and it was, no 
doubt, these implacable hostilities which 
largely tended to still farther open his 
eyes to the falsities of theology, and lead 
him to an utter renunciation of the en- 
tire system of superuaturalism. But 
the final step would seem to many ex- 
tremely hard, and would be thought a 
great sacrifice. Consider, he had entered 
the ministry of that powerful church 
when a boy. He worked up from a 
country-circuit preacher to the metropolis 
of New England. The best appoint- 
ments were before him. He was loved, 
honored, and desired. He was still 
poor; not worth a dollar, with a family, 
and not possessing even furniture for 
housekeeping, as that was furnished by 
the societies. He had no trade, no occu- 
pation, and no acquaintances outside of 
that church. Lecturing among Spirit- 
ualists had not been thought of. But he 
could no longer honestly preach the doc- 
trines of Orthodoxy, and calmly walked 

out ofthe church by withdrawing from the 
New England Conference, of which be was 
a member, it is (rue, he was giving up 
the fruits of many toilsome, self-denying 
years of work and effort— it was abandon- 
ing the sure prospect of honor and emolu- 
ment for the future years, but be never 
thought he was sacrificing, or doing any 
very meritorious thing; it fact, it was to 
him plain, common sense duty, which 
he performed without regret or the 
slightest anxiety as to the results. The 

future was a blank, except that he 
thought he might leave the fit \ . 
in the Country, and rent a piece of land 
and make a living. 



i88 



J. S. LOVELAND. 



But the Providence of the " Circle of 
the Higher Harmonies" had other plans 
for his future. Some months after this 
event, a Spiritualistic friend by the name 
of Johnson, said to him, "Brother Love- 
land I wish you would give us a lecture 
on Spiritualism." Impressed by the repe- 
tition of the request at different times, he 
consented, thinking he could talk an 
hour on that topic. A hall was secured, 
notice given, and on a Sunday afternoon 
he went to the hall, found it full, also the 
ante-rooms and hallways. After the lec- 
ture the people demanded another and a 
larger hall. It was secured, and the one 
lecture lengthened out to some three 
years, with an audience frequently reach- 
ing up to six and seven hundred. This 
was the first Spiritualistic meeting ever 
established in this country, and if this 
lecture was not the first ever given upon 
Spiritualism, it was the first ever heard 
of in New England; and one thing is 
certain, Professor Loveland was the 
first lecturer to start a regular Sunday 
meeting and continue it for any length 
of time; and he believes he was the first 
person to be entitled a regular lecturer on 
the Spiritual philosophy, He was the 
first person to dedicate himself exclu- 
sively to that work. He is not anxious 
for any glory on that accouut, but sim- 
ply wishes the real facts of history to be 
understood. 

The first lecture was given in Charles- 
town, Mass., and for the first season he 
would lecture in Charlestown in the 
afternoon, and in Boston in the evening, 
though the audiences were partly the 
same, Charlestown being a suburb of 
Boston. His labors were not confined to 
the city, but on week-day evenings he 
lectured in the outlying cities and towns, 
extending his work into the adjoining 
States. There is no portion of the 
country where Spiritualism has obtained 
so strong and extensive influence as in 
Boston and the contiguous territory. 

The Professor has lectured in all the 
large cities of the North, except Cincin- 
nati, but only in St. Louis of the former 



Slave States, and in most of the second- 
class cities, besides a large number of 
smaller cities and towns. Unlike most 
speakers, he has never made a practise 
of soliciting engagements, but has gone 
only where he has been called. 

In 1883, the Professor was called from 
California to Clinton, Iowa, to dedicate 
the grounds of Mt. Pleasant Park for a 
camp-meeting resort for the "Iowa Con- 
ference of Spiritualists." The name of 
the organization was afterwards changed 
to the "Mississippi Valley Association of 
Spiritualists." In 1887 he was elected 
President of that Association, and pre- 
sided at each camp-meeting till la grippe 
assailed him and prevented his attend- 
dance in 1894. The first year of his Pres- 
idency he found the financial affairs of 
the Association in a very unsatisfactory 
condition. There were two legal organi- 
zations concerned in the ownership and 
management of the Park, the Associa- 
tion above-named, and an auxiliary body 
called the "Mt. Pleasant Park Stock 
Company." This auxiliary body had 
assumed almost entire control of 
grounds and meetings, and apparently 
part of the directors had determined to 
close the camp-meetings, sell the 
grounds, and divide the proceeds. The 
Professor at once moved to checkmate 
this effort, and succeeded, with the effi- 
cient efforts of faithful members, in pay- 
ing off the debt on the grounds, purchas- 
ing some six hundred dollars worth of 
tents, securing the transfer of the title to 
the Park to the Association. One of the 
Park stockholders brought suit to force 
the sale of the grounds, but was beaten in 
the District Court, the decree of which 
was confirmed by the Supreme Court of 
the State. So now the Association owns 
the beautiful Park, worth some fifteen to 
twenty thousand dollars, has a fine hotel 
and several other buildings, and the 
Professor has the satisfaction that he con- 
tributed something to that result. Many 
of his friends feel that but for his efforts 
the grounds would have been lost, and 
the Camp broken up. 



1. S. LOVELAND. 



189 



Professor Lovelaud has not been a 
bookmaker to any extent. With the ex- 
ception of several pamphlets, he has pub- 
lished but one book, consisting of seven 
lectures on Mediumship. The first edi- 
tion of one thousand volumes, with the 
exception of a few copies, was exhausted 
some three years ago. But la grippe, 
and a grip on his finances, through the 
failure of a friend, have prevented print- 
ing another edition. He is at present writ- 
ing another work on Mediumship and also 
one on Immortality, which he hopes to 
publish soon. He has one or two more 
works in contemplation, if time permits. 

Of mediumship he has had various 
phases, from the tipping of tables to what 
he terms the Higher Mediumship. 
Though always hospitable to all forms of 
special or test mediumship, he has never 
reverenced it as a fetich, or ran after it 
as a gratification of a blind credulity. 
On the contrary, it has addressed itself 
to him as a purely scientific process, on 
the part of spirit personalities, to prove 
1 their identity, and (2) to voice impor- 
tant messages to man on the earth. And, 
though commiserating the actors, he has 
a profound contempt and detestation of 
reading, jack-knives, rings, etc., and tell- 
ing fortunes, and calling it Spiritualism. 
Psychometric readings are most interest- 
ing and instructive at the proper time 
and place, but to present them as the 
manifestations of spirits is a crime against 
truth. He has sought to discover the 
philosophy of mediumship, and is satis- 
fied that be has been successful in his 
researches. He baa discovered what he 
terms the dual unity ol man; that lie has 
a dual mentality — a conscious and a sub- 
conscious selfhood. The latter is the 
seat of the mediumistic capacity— it has 
the great synipathct ic nerve system, or 
in other words, the Dei ves of organic life 
for its brain center. It is automatic or 
controlled in its actions. He holds that a 

proper understanding of the subconscious 
self will unlock and explain all the mys- 
teries of mediumship; show the way to 

perfect health and happiness; furnish tin- 



methods for a more perfect education; as 
well as opening the way for the evolution 
of that higher mediumship, which will 
bring, all attaining it, into a felt 
and comprehended fellowship with the 
infinite life of the cosmos. He is hoping 
to stay on this side of life long enough 
to write out a full elucidation of the rela- 
tions, the interworkings of the conscious 
and subconscious — the volitional and 
automatic factors of our wonderful life. 
He has always been a persistent advo- 
cate for the organization of Spiritualists 
into a strong working body, for the pur- 
pose of instituting prcper measures for 
revolutionizing the selfish system of com- 
petitive cannibalism, which is miscalled 
civilization. As Spiritualism is a new 
evolution of humanitary thought, he 
cannot see how it can be other than a 
potential agent in superseding the antago- 
nisms created and fostered by the old 
religions, and building up in practical 
conduct the principles of universal bro- 
therhood. He has been amazed, and 
almost disheartened, by the standstill 
conservatism and, what is worse, violent 
opposition on the part of professed Spir- 
itualists to all the progressive movements 
of the age. To him this new dispensation 
has been inaugurated, very largely by the 
fathers of the country, for the express 
purpose of saving this country from the 
terrible fate of all past nations, which 
have disregarded justice, and enthroned 
selfishness as the- law of the land. He 
claims that Spiritualism should be our 
religion, morality, politics, and social 

life; that it includes every principle of 

personal and civic life, and cannot be 

laid oil' anywhere, and the old garment 

of religious sellism put OU. 

The literary woik of the Professor, in 

addition to the book ami pamphlets be- 
fore mentioned, has been in the news- 
paper line, he having been contributor to 

nearly all the Spiritualist papers, and has 
pel formed quite a share of editorial woi k 

on several of them. And, in this con- 
nection, may be also mentioned 1 1 1 > 
many discussions which he has held in 



9° 



J. S. LOVELAND. 



defense of Spiritualism. In conclusion, 
it is well to say that he stands to-day the 
very last of the oldest workers in the 
Spiritualistic field. But the Professor, 
though nearly an octogenarian, has still 



his armor on, and, with intellectual eye 
undimmed, is hard at work in the Spir- 
itual field, which he does not intend to 
abandon till translated to the higher 
fields of eternal life. 








DR. W. M. FORSTER. 






DR. W. M. FORSTER. 



" Lives of great men all remind us 
We can make our lives sublime, 
And departing leave behind us 
Footprints on the sands of time." 

The history of Modern Spiritualism is 
full of the good deeds and actions of 
those who have sacrificed profit to prin- 
ciple: men and women who were willing 
to suffer the world's obloquy, that their 
ideas regarding the happiness of their 
fellow-mortals should be promulgated. 

This volume contains many instances 
of such like characters; among them we 
take much pleasure in placing the subject 
of this sketch. 

Born and raised in "blue" Presbyter- 
ianism, he nevertheless had the courage 
of his opinions, and at the early age of 
fifteen years seceded to the Methodist 
denomination, of which he was a lay 
preacher and propagandist at the age of 
eighteen years. His desires and tenden- 
cies being toward the medical course, he 
was apprenticed to a firm of apothecaries 
in Ireland, and after graduating in the 
various schools necessary for the practise 
of his adopted profession, commenced a 
tour of the world, which a lew years ago 
ended, for the time being, in San h'ran- 
cisco, Cab Here his success has been 
phenomenal. 

J)r. burster, sonu- fifteen \eai 

(although from an early age aware of his 
occult powers), became convinced of the 
reality of "physical phenomena" 
through the mediumship of his infant 
son and his own powers; latent powers 
were developed, and automatic writing, 
independent slate writing, ievitation ol 
heavy bodies,8pirit lights, etherealization, 
and that much-disputed j •base of spiritual 
phenomena— spirit photography— were 
developed. 01 late years Dr. Forster has 
confined bis mediumship to that phase 
known as "medical clairvoyance"; the 

utility of this will be seen when it is re- 



membered that he has been a very exten- 
sive traveler, a keen observer of men and 
things, and an educated gentleman, one 
whose first thoughts and aspirations were 
for the benefit of humanity. It is rarely 
we meet so many good things combined. 

Dr. Forster is a descendant of an illus- 
trious English family, whose name is 
contemporaneous with advanced politics 
in the middle and later portions of the 
nineteenth century. We have much 
pleasure in saying, however, that al- 
though his paternal ancestry was derived 
from the eastern side of St. George's 
Channel, his maternal ancestry were 
raised and bred on the green sod of "old 
Ireland" — a combination which should 
go to make an ideal American citizen. 

Dr. Forster, in spite of his early relig- 
ious training, has a keen sense of the 
ridiculous, even in such matters as the 
phenomena of Spiritualism; as an exam- 
ple of this, we cannot do better than 
quote his own words, published in the 
Light of Tru th, March i i , i v 9 5 : 

" While investigating the phenomena 
of modern Spiritualism a few years ago, 
it occurred to me to ask a Spirit friend if 
such a thing as ' Spirit photography ' was 
possible. The reply being in the affirm- 
ative, an appointment was made with my 
unseen guest for an experimental 'sa- 
ting,' with a vu w of testing our ability — 

aided by friends on the other sidl 

producing Bncfa ph< nomena. 

" For the fust experiment, and a num- 
ber of Eubs< qu< m ones, a camei 
dry-plates were obtained, and after duly 
d finding tin □ 

FeCt, I U CUS4 d a lamp 0U the table, and, 

extinguishing all the lights in the 

made : at band in 

contact with the camera , "in Spirit 

h \i 1 d tinu d tlu- vai hi. • . s by 

raps; the exposures lasted Prom four 

Is i<> as many minutes. The fust 



192 



DR. VV. M. FORSTER. 



experiment revealed nothing, the plate 
after development being perfectly trans- 
parent. On developing the plate taken 
at our second experiment — a few days 
later — a very few small spots became 
visible. At the third and fourth experi- 
ments, larger and yet larger spots were 
developed, and on developing the fifth 
plate, the pretty form of a child, appar- 
ently about seven years of age, appeared. 
I thought it was about time, then, to let 
the matter become known — as no one but 
members of my own family had been 
present at our sittings — and, accordingly, 
informed a professional photographer of 
my experiments. To my chagrin, I was 
laughed at for my pains, but on my 
proposition to allow my friend to bring 
his own camera and plates for an experi- 
ment (provided I was allowed to see that 
his plates were genuine and had not 
been tampered with) my skeptical friend 
willingly consented to make a trial. 
The result tickles my risible faculties to 
this day. When the plate was developed 
the headless body of a man became 
clearly visible, and my friend, with trem- 
bling hands, laid down the plate and 
declared it was the ' devil.' 

"Since then, I imagine his religious 
scruples have led him to eschew 
such unholy places as Spirit seance- 
rooms." 

One peculiarity of this Medium is that 
at various times almost every phase of 
mediumship has been developed through 
his organism, and though he has never 
posed as a "professional" physical me- 
dium, there are hundreds (particularly in 
Australia) who have had the privilege 
and opportunity of witnessing the weird 
phenomena exhibited through this psy- 
chic in the privacy of his home; of late 
years, as has been said before, he has 
discontinued these experiments, confin- 
ing himself to the diagnosis and cure of 
disease. 

" It is a beautiful belief 

That ever 'round our head 
Are hovering on viewless wings 
The spirits of our dead." 



Doctor Forster has added to his faith, 
Knowledge; that Knowledge which so 
many millions in past ages have hungered 
for and were only satisfied when they ex- 
perienced the change called " death." 
How many, even now, in the ranks of 
Spiritualism see only as "through a 
glass, darkly," hindered by their environ- 
ments and inherited prejudices, from be- 
holding the glorious sun of Spiritual 
Truth. We again quote the Doctor in 
an article written for the Pacific Coast 
Spiritualist: 

" What a wondrous thing is the pres- 
ence of, and desire of our Spirit friends 
to communicate with those left behind, 
we have here a discovery more fruitful of 
results on the lives and conduct of future 
generations, than anything yet made 
known to man. We are all spirits 
clothed in the mortal, and living, each 
and every one, in spirit-land. How 
necessary, therefore, to understand the 
laws essential for communication with 
those in other spheres of existence! We 
have here expressed a great truth, viz.: 
the necessity of a knowledge of the laws 
governing spiritual intercourse; at pres- 
ent, however, our knowledge in this 
respect Is limited, but the angels are 
working steadily and persistently for our 
enlightenment. During the past fifty 
years, great advancement has been made 
in this direction, new phases of medium- 
ship are being developed, and multitudes 
of mediums in private life are convincing 
their friends that there is in existence, a 
postal and telegraphic system between 
this sphere of life and the one peopled 
by those they have loved, but who 
"have gone before." 

Dr. Forster has been wonderfully suc- 
cessful as a clairvoyant physician. His 
patients are scattered all over the United 
States and his daily correspondence is 
very great. Locally, he holds an envia- 
ble position and ranks first in his profes- 
sion. The good one individual can do 
whose life is consecrated to humanitarian 
work is incalculable; and such is the 
life-work of our friend. 




J. J. MORSE. 



J. J. MORSE. 



Among the many called upon to take 
part in the great spiritual upheaval of the 
present century, but few have risen to 
such eminent notice either in his native 
land, England, or in the United States, 
as the justly distinguished gentleman 
whose name heads this sketch, and who 
first excited notice in London, England, 
in the year 1868, and whose subsequent 
labors as a platform-worker have abun- 
dantly justified his selection for that ser- 
vice by the invisible directors of the work 
in Great Britain. 

The early life of this Apostle of spir- 
itual and progressive thought was tinged 
with some little romance, while, like the 
lives of so many of the world's most use- 
ful workers, it bore the bars sinister of 
misfortune and reverse upon its field; 
indeed, it was so distressful and unprom- 
ising at one period as to be utterly devoid 
of all likelihood of that use to the world 
it ultimately has become. 

Of good family, numbering among its 
members servants of the English Estab- 
lished Church, officers in the nation's 
civil service, having a branch devoted to 
the farming interest, located in the beau- 
tiful County of Surrey; and singularly 
enough including in its connections a 
Captain Denton, though whether a rela- 
tion of William Denton, the < Geologist and 

Spiritualist, is undetermined, — however, 
that may be, the family, in itself and its 
connections, was eminently respectable, 

and of some social position, thereby en- 
suring early associations of a 111 inner and 

social consideration for the subject of this 

memoir. 

The family traces its ancestry back- 
to the time of the Charles', originating 

in the pastoral Cmmtv of Berkshire, and 

it is on record that several <>f the ances- 
tors of Mr. Morse bore anus in the C rom« 
wellian armies, which may possibly 
explain, by the laws of descent, tin- 



strain of sturdy independence running 
through Mr. Morse's character. The 
family were in possession of a crest and 
a motto, a raised hand holding a drip- 
ping dagger, tho motto being Mors ja una 
vitae, "Death, the gate of life," which, 
considering Mr. Morse's life and labors, 
may almost be considered as having pro- 
phetic value. 

The subject of our sketch, whose full 
name is James Johnson Morse, was 
born on the first day of October, in the 
year 1848, and at that time the family 
consisted of the parents and two other 
children, Charles Edward and Louise 
Sara and James, the youngest born, all 
residing in the Parish of St. Clements 
Danes, the Strand, London, the head of 
the household following the profession 
of a wholesale and retail spirit merchant 
and vintner. From his birth up to some 
nine years of age, Mr. Morse's health 
was exceedingly precarious, delicate in 
body, and a source of great anxiety to 
his family, who feared he would never 
reach maturity. In consequence of his 
weakness, the first few years of his life 
were passed on the farmstead of the 
great-grandfather, in the pretty little 

village Of Hook, near KingStOn-On-the- 

Thamcs, when- he greatly benefited by 
the fresh air which swept across farmer 

Johnson's lands. When Mr. M one was 

live years of age his father retired from 
active business life, but in the Bummerof 
the succeeding year, the large-hearted 

and loving mother fell a victim to the 

then prevailing cholera epidemic. 
The father, deeply pained and almost 

disconsolate at the I088 of BO loving and 

devoted a companion, found the Bolitude 
oi a retired life t«><> hard to bear, conse 
quently within a few months oi his be- 
reavement he determined to reenter 
commercial life. Laudable 
his intention to him, it was, 1 



94 



J. J. MORSE. 



theless, as after events unfolded, 
fraught with dire disaster to the entire 
family. At this length of time, though, 
it looks as if the misfortunes of those 
years were stepping-stones placed in the 
river of life by a wiser providence than 
ours, stepping-stones over which the 
youngest member of the family must go 
to reach his work upon the opposite 
bank. All that needs be recorded here 
is the fact that the new ventures proved 
unsuccessful, and that a final difficulty in 
which the father became involved, 
through his over-trustfulness, absorbed 
his estate, virtually breaking his heart, 
and, in effect, sending him to the Higher 
Life some five years after the departure 
of his life's associate. 

Then commenced a trying period for 
the youngest born, of some nine years' 
duration, and in the early days of which 
the three orphans were dependent entire- 
ly upon the kindness of the paternal 
uncle. Ultimately a disposition of the 
children was made, by which Charles, 
the eldest, was despatched to Ottawa, 
Canada, in 1859; Louise, the next in age, 
was placed in suitable circumstances in 
the old cathedral town of Norwich, 
in Norfolk; and James Johnson, the 
youngest, was placed in the care of 
a boarding-school keeper, in Green- 
wich, some five miles from London, 
which was about as injudicious and 
injurious a disposition of him as could 
have well been made, for the school- 
mistress was a victim to dipsomania in 
its grossest and most aggravated form. 
During the time James remained in her 
care, poor and insufficient food, liberal 
chastisement, and an utter neglect of all 
educational matters were the current of 
events, until, out of the desperation born 
of sheer misery, he fled, and much to the 
consternation of the servants of the 
avuncular mansion presented himself 
thereat, tired, dusty, footsore ; and wobe- 
gone beyond words to express! Subse- 
quent inquiries verified the correctness 
of his complaints, and he was then trans- 
ferred to the care of an amiable lady 
named Croucher, residing in the before- 



mentioned town, and it is a proof of the 
efficacy of kindly firmness and broad 
moral teaching, that the trial-tried boy 
of that period ever remembers, with 
affectionate gratitude, the loving care 
bestowed upon him by the above-named 
valued friend of his boyhood days. A 
couple of years thus passed pleasantly, 
when family considerations compelled 
the uncle to arrange a final disposition of 
the remaining charge of his departed 
brother's family, and it was decided that 
the English mercantile marine would 
afford the proper opportunity for the 
future medium-speaker to make a start in 
life. It was, therefore, decided that he 
should be entered as a midshipman on 
board an East Indiaman, but a rascally 
agent broke his contract, and shipped the 
youngster on an English coaster, on 
which he was to be bound as an ap- 
prentice. 

Quite unfit for such a career, one of 
the roughest and hardest, and meeting a 
severe accident, the youthful mariner 
was discharged at the port of South 
Shields, and with a trifling sum sent 
adrift to find his way back to London, 
some three hundred miles away, as best 
he could. He arrived in the metropolis 
exhausted, ill, penniless, and but to find 
himself confronted with a grave family 
injustice, the nature of which at once 
put a peaceful solution out of all ques- 
tion; the indignation aroused in his 
breast then ended all intercourse with 
the family, and he has permitted the 
lapse of years to annul all association 
therewith. 

The ensuing years, from 1863 to 1868, 
find the self-exiled member of his family 
making vigorous efforts to sustain him- 
self in various subordinate positions, 
until he fancied he saw an opportunity 
of advancing his fortunes by accepting 
an offer of employment in an about-to-be 
formed News and Publishers' office. 
Alas, further trials awaited him, for the 
principal of the affair was one of those 
specious and professing rascals, whose 
cunning, rather than aught else, keep 
them from the clutches of the law. The 



J. J. MORSE. 



x 95 






embryo publishing house was never 
formed, and the to be junior member 
thereof lost the hard wen savings of 
several years helping to maintain his 
future principal, which individual ulti- 
mately discreetly disappeared from view, 
leavirg his dupe penniless after enduring 
much privation while waiting for the con- 
summation of his expectations. 

It was during the above-described dis- 
tressful period that the subject of this 
brief chronicle encountered two matters 
that have exercised an important influ- 
ence upon his life, and which proved to 
be the pivots upon which great changes 
were to turn. The first of these events 
was his contact with modern Spiritual- 
ism, the second his meeting with the 
lady who subsequently became his wife. 

The first event occurred in the autumn 
of 1868 when he was introduced to Mrs. 
Hopps, the mother of the Reverend John 
Page Hopps, one of, if not the most able 
and cultured exponent of English Uni- 
tarianism, and a confirmed Spiritualist, 
often writing and speaking upon the 
subject, and as the subject of Spiritualism 
was exciting attention in the public mind, 
it came up in the course of conversation 
at the above-named meeting: 

It may not be out of place here to say 
a little upon his state of mind at this 
time upon religious matters in general, 
for being now twenty years of age he was 
Capable of entertaining some definite 
opinions. On several occasions he bad 
honestly endeavored to get exercised 
upon religion, but so far he had utterly 
failed, either to experience conviction or 
eonversit n, and, as a consequence of this 
failure, bad earnestly debated within 

himself whether or not he was helplessly 
bad and hopelessly irreclaimable. Re- 
flection showed li i in the painful truth 

that the sorrows in- bad endured had 
been caused by certain unworthy 

lowers of their professed Mash 1, and, 

wisely or unwisely, be felt that it was 
exceedingly difficult to harmonize prac- 
tise and profession, and, being ol a frank 

and open nature, In- was sadly perplexed 

by a discovery that so many of us are 



compelled to make. The result was that 
religious services became distasteful and 
religious literature absurd. Alternations 
of despondency and defiance dominated 
his mind, until much of its chaos was 
organized and its gloom dispelled by a 
friend placing in his hand a copy of 
Paine's immortal '"Age of Reason," in 
the pages of which he founel food he had 
long hungered for without fully under- 
standing the nature of his wants. Yes, 
he must be an infidel. This life was hard 
enough; why ask for another? Miracles 
were myths, resurrections but rhetoric, 
while spirits were too silly to think of in 
any way but as fancies. At this period, 
it will be seen he was mentally far away 
from our faith, and a most seeming un- 
likely recruit for our ranks. Presently 
this attitude of hostility was to be 
changed, and in a singularly striking 
manner; though deep down in his breast, 
he admits, there was a faint hope that 
after death there might be some sort of a 
life where rest and happiness might be, 
after all. 

The result of the meeting with Mrs. 
Hopps, previously referred to, was that 
the soon to be neophyte obtained from 
her the loan of two books, "Six Months' 
Experience at Home in Spirit-Commun- 
ion," from the pen of the Reverend J. P. 
Hopps, the minister already menti< 
embodying that gentleman's own expcii- 
ences, and another work, "Experiences 
with the Davenports," by Robert Cooper, 
the contents of which books astounded 
their reader, showing him that as honest 
men said ■ ' Yes," knowingly, and in good 

faith, it was presumption lor him to say 
"No," unknowingly, for evidently there 

was more in the matter than be first SU8- 

pected. The nun- perusal of literature 
was, however, insufficient, the mind bav 
ing become stimulated now asked for 
proofs, facts, evidence, and with all the 
anxiety of an ardent nature started on a 
new inquiry; the eager question was put, 
" When- can I go i" see and kno 
myself?" Aimed with an introduction 
from the before-mentioned Mis. Hopps, 
he at last approached the mystic portals 



196 



J. J. MORSE. 



of the seance room, being received by 
Mr. R. Cogman, who was the host and 
manager of the assembly, who admitted 
the half fearful applicant, and welcomed 
him to the seance. 

The house was that of a comfortable 
middle-class family, a house of some 
notoriety in its immediate neighborhood 
by reason of the "Spirit rappings " car- 
ried on there. The circle room, a large 
apartment on the level with the street, 
and lighted by two large windows. 
Chairs about the room, the center occu- 
pied with a large oblong deal-topped 
table, the floor carpeted. The room 
presently lighted by a lamp, the shade 
curtains being drawn, some fifteen per- 
sons present, exclusive of the host, his 
wife, and daughter. Nothing " uncanny " 
or out of the ordinary course of things 
observable. No wires under the table, 
no electric buttons upon the floor, so far 
as foot or hand could discover. An air 
of orderly quiet, sober earnestness, and 
propriety pervading all. 

The seance begins; each is seated at 
the table. The host, as president, opens 
a well-worn Bible, reading passages there- 
from; he offers a prayer; a simple hymn 
is sung. The lamp and book are then 
removed, and all, with hands now rest- 
ing on the table, resign themselves to a 
meditative quietness. A tall, pale-faced, 
black-haired young man sighs heavily, 
the muscles of his face twitch with nerv- 
ous spasms, and his eyes close. He arises 
paler than before, and convulsively at 
first, then with facility, he talks some 
ten or fifteen minutes. It is a "con- 
trol," but the visitor makes a mental 
note, and says the other name for it is 
hysteria! A brief pause, then it is a 
female that is affected. This time the 
eyes are left wide open with a ghastly 
and stony stare. Her words are soft and 
low, the utterances full of love, truth, 
flowers, angels, earth, children, and so 
on. The visitor wonders: is she mad? 
what does it mean ? Has he got into a 
company of lunatics? for others were 
shaking and gurgling by this time; he 
began to feel sorry for coming, and was 



heartily wishing himself well out of it, 
when he exclaimed: 

"Oh! gracious, what's that? " 

The bolt had fallen, the call had gone 
forth, the portals of future work and des- 
tiny were about to be unbarred! 

To the neophyte it seemed as if a 
hand, large, warm, heavy, had suddenl)-, 
with force, descended upon his head, a 
sensation then following as if the brain 
had been cleft in twain, while into the 
cavity thus formed, sand, hot and in 
quantity, had been poured, trickling 
down over head, face, bust, person, down 
to finger ends and toe tips. Every sense 
of motion was paralyzed. Eyes were 
firmly closed, every limb w T as helpless 
Then a swelling of lungs and throat, as 
though life's tides were battling franti- 
cally to keep their accustomed courses, 
and ali the while a fearful dread circling 
within the mind of the startled subject 
of these peculiar experiences. Presently 
an impulse to stand, then up, upon his 
feet, erect, next an uncontrollable desire 
to shout with might and main, which 
overcoming all resistance, resulted in an 
ear-piercing whoop that almost froze 
your blood. Then for nearly an hour a 
series of wild and grotesque gesticula- 
tions, a current of exclamations, incoher- 
ent, gross, and profane, a general exhibi- 
tion of noisy disturbance produced by 
the wretched victim — who, thoroughly 
conscious of his deeds, but incapable of 
resisting the influence upon him — con- 
tinued to manifest the results of the first, 
and necessarily imperfect control exer- 
cised upon him. 

Filially the paroxysm ceased, and the 
now startled inquirer, ashamed of his 
misbehavior, but unable to account for 
it, commenced to apologize to his vener- 
able host, whom he had frequently 
addressed in the most opprobrious terms. 
Apologies were courteously deemed un- 
necessary, as the host intimated he fully 
understood such exhibition was beyond 
the control of the subject thereof, there- 
fore no offence was takeu. After some 
sympathy, and a little needful rest, the 
perturbed inquirer wended his way 



I T. MORSE. 



'97 



homewards. The remainder of the night 
was spent in a condition of mental 
amazement and perplexity, which effec- 
tually banished sleep for hours, until the 
tired body at last succumbed from sheer 
exhaustion. 

With the next day came the reaction 
from the previous evening's excitement, 
and the inquirer found himself inclined 
to slip back again to his previous sceptic- 
ism, inventing sundry plausible reasons 
for rejecting his experiences as being in 
any way attributable to "spirits," formu- 
lating the opinion that he was hysterical, 
and if he pursued the matter would, no 
doubt, become crazy! What avails our 
fancies when arrayed against the poten- 
cies of the higher life ? Truly, but little! 
So the new medium found, for, presently, 
indications of the nearness and presence 
of this power began to manifest them- 
selves. Hot, burning pains, tracing their 
courses from brain to shoulder, down the 
arm 10 hand and fingers — with a sensa- 
tion like wires, redhot — came over him, 
and the index finger of the dexter hand 
traced out words before him leading to 
the following questions and answers: 

" Is this a Spirit ?" 

"Yes," in a great scrawl by the out- 
stretched finger. 

" Is it any one that I know?" 

" Your mother, "again wrote the finger. 

The startled querist not wishing to be 
thus disturbed, said, " If I get pencil and 
paper this afternoon, will you then come 
and write again ? " 

" Yes," again scrawled the obedient 
finger. The influence subsided, and the 
medium was again painfully perplexed — 

was it a " Spirit," was it his mother, 

what did it all mean ? 

Provided with the requisite materials 
later in the Bame day, the experiment of 

obtaining writing was undertaken, the 

following communication being received : 

"Yes, my dear son, we are ever watch- 
ing over you. Peat not, but trust in the 
Lord, for lie is a shield wherein all may 
trust; He is a bulwark in whom all can 
rest their hopes; He is a terror to evil- 
doers, and in time will make all tin- 



nations of the earth believe in Him. 
Those who disbelieve now shall believe 
by-and-by, and shall welcome spirit- 
communion as a thing to besought after, 
and by encouraging it you will get a 
foretaste of the joy to be had hereafter. 
0/i t my son! follow it, for yon -will become a 
great medium; you will yet do great good in 
the -world. I am glad to see you so ear- 
nest in your desire for spirit-communion, 
for rest assured great good will result 
from it, not only to you, but for all; and 
when you leave earth you will be con- 
scious of having employed the gift 
that is within you profitably. Be not 
afraid of mockers and scoffers, for those 
that now mock will soon believe. Your 
dear father is with you as well as I. He 
is smiling at your efforts, and tries to 
help you but finds it very hard. He was 
with you on Sunday. You must not be 
afraid, you will not be so tormented 
again Your ever affectionate par- 
ents, Mary and Thomas Morse." 

Here was food for thought, indeed! In 
some lights it looked wild absurdity, for 
fortune was just then smiling upon the 
much tried youth, and future prospects 
were brightening. Also, he queried, how 
could he "do great good in the world" 
upon a matter he was not a believer in ? 
He was not at all inclined to embark as an 
advocate, or a worker in this Btrange 
matter. Then it struck him as peculiar, 
almost degrading, that his parents should 
have heaven, or whatever the next life was 
like, to come back and write such a mes- 
Bage. lint, argue as he might, there W88 
still a feeling that there was some truth 
in it all, yet on calming down In- did his 
best to dismiss the matter from his mind, 
taking refuge in the opinion that the 
subject was dangerous, and in- would 
have nothing further to do with it under 
any circumstances. However, it was 

destined he should not escape the duty 
before him, BO 1 f the time his next 

opportunity to attend Mr. Cogman's cir- 
cle came round. h<- was seized with an 
uncontrollable desire to attend, to which 
he yielded, vowing to hinisi It toresisl all 

" influences. M observe, note, and sit still. 



198 



J. J. MORSE. 



It needs no prophecy to say that such 
resolves were likely to prove futile; some 
twenty minutes terminated their inten- 
tions and effects, by the end of which 
space of time the medium was again 
under strong control, which, this time, 
caused him to open the before-mentioned 
Bible, at Romans xiv. 1, upon which he 
delivered a sermon, or address, which 
occupied some forty minutes in its de- 
livery. The manifestation afforded the 
utmost satisfaction and delight to the 
members of the circle, but it was the 
source of the utmost astonishment and 
mystification to the vehicle, who had 
never exhibited the slightest talent in 
such a direction previously, and who had 
never made the remotest attempt hitherto 
at the consecutive treatment of any sub- 
ject whatsoever. More food was thus 
supplied for wonderment and reflection, 
and out of it came a determination to 
persevere in the inquiry to the end, and 
to obtain certainty, as to whether the 
entire question of spirit-return and spirit- 
power was either fact or fraud. 

Shortly after the above-narrated events 
the publisher's scheme, previously no- 
ticed, was broached, the effect of which 
was that the newly developing medium 
was removed from the sphere of duty he 
had previously been in, and. through the 
failure of the enterprise to become a re- 
ality, he was unoccupied for nearly eight 
months, which afforded him the needed 
leisure in which to attend circles and 
prosecute his development, which matter 
was finally accomplished at the house of 
a Mrs. Main, a person of large sympa- 
thies and liberal views, who, with her 
daughter, a Mrs. Fielden, were very 
earnest workers at that time in London^ 
By the " tests " obtained through the last 
named lady, and others through Mrs. 
Gender, Mr. Frank Heme, Mr. Davis, 
and other notable mediums of that pe- 
riod, the inquirer was converted into a 
believer, and the mental quietude result- 
ing was materially valuable in assisting 
the development of the mcdiumship 
which was soon to come into world-wide 
notice. In the autumn of 1869, the me- 



dium, now somewhat widely known 
among private circles, was brought 
under the notice of Mr. James Burns, 
now deceased, but who was then the rep- 
resentative of the central Depot of Spirit- 
ual Literature and Information in Great 
Britain, and on Friday, October 15th, of 
the above year, a series of weekly meet- 
ings was established at the above head- 
quarters of spiritual work, from which 
fortunate circumstance the medium no 
doubt was put into that position of pub- 
licity which ultimately resulted in that 
extended popularity which has carried 
his name around the world. 

The distinctly private part of the 
narrative may be said to close here, as 
the subject thereof now passes to the 
front in a public capacity, taking his 
position as a professional worker, and 
maintaining his place as such, down to 
the present period, his entrance to such 
work dating from October, 1869. In the 
following year he married Miss Marion 
Lewis, an event foretold to the lady by 
the spirits some months prior to her ever 
having seen Mr. Morse. She is a lady of 
good Welsh descent, and one child, a 
daughter, Florence, has been the sole 
issue of the union. 

The purpose of the higher powers was 
gradually unfolding itself, and the public 
interest in the weekly seances rapidly in- 
creased, so much so, that the spacious 
reception rooms of the Spiritual Institu- 
tion were crowded from week to week. 
Mr. Burns acted as the faithful chairman 
and considerate friend of the advancing 
medium, who presently became associated 
with Mr. Burns in the publishing business 
conducted at the Institution, and assist- 
ing in the issuing of the first number of 
what was then England's leading spir- 
itual weekly, the Medium and Daybreak % 
but which was discontinued some time 
since. Undoubtedly the connection was 
one of mutual advantage, and was only 
sundered by the claims upon the time and 
strength of the medium, precluding him 
from giving that share of his resources to 
business that was justly due thereto. 

Up to the period above referred to, Mr. 



J. J. MORSE. 



199 



Morse had not, it seems, appeared upon 
the public platform for the purpose of a 
sustained address being given through 
him. The spirits were bui awaiting the 
arrival of the suitable occasion, which 
was afforded them on Thursday evening, 
April 21, 1870, in the hall of the St. 
John's Associates, Clerkenwell, London. 
The first public address, at a regular 
Sunday Service of Spiritualists, was given 
at the Cavendish Rooms, London, on 
Sunday, July 24th of the same year, and 
the first effort in the provinces was at 
Northampton, on Sunday, September 
9th, also in the above-stated year, — this 
latter event being iu association with our 
ascendtd brother and most remarkable 
healer, Dr. J. R. Newton. The new 
medium was now fairly at work as an 
inspired advocate of our cause, and has 
been in active work ever since. Except- 
ing illness and needful rest, it is computed 
he has not been absent from the platform 
more than two Sundays in each year 
during his term of service which at this 
time is now in its twenty-seventh year. 

As soon as the ability of the controls 
had made itself known, the now 
developed instrument was overwhelmed 
with calls to visit the various societies 
in England, Wales, and Scotland, and, 
as a result, he has been a frequent visit- 
ant, in his capacity as a speaker, to 
all the prominent cities and many 
smaller towns in various sections 
of Great Britain. In many places 
his work has materially contributed to 
the tide of activity and prosperity in our 

Cause that now prevails, and in not a f< -w 

instances acting as a St.Jobn the Baptist, 

clearing the ground for others. After 
some five years Of labor the intimation 

came that be must cross the ocean, leave 

home, family, and friends, and visit the 

Birthplace of Modern Spiritualism; con- 
sequent thereon in the year 1 G 7 | .Mr. 
Morse paid his first visit to this country, 

landing in the City of" New York on the 

twenty-sixth day of October. I Ms fame 

had preceded his coming, and be wis 

immediately overwhelmed with invita- 
tions to lecture in various cities; his 



first engagement being in Baltimore, 
Md., which matter had been arranged 
for him by his old time friend, Dr. J. M. 
Feebles. During his year's stay he filled 
engagements in New York City, New 
Haven, Conn., Greenfield, Mass., Phila- 
delphia, Pa., Bangor, Me., Boston, Mass., 
and various smaller cities and towns. 
In many cases so great was the favor 
with which his labors were received that 
he had to pay return visits. The numer- 
ous reports of his labors, and the ab- 
stracts of his lectures, which were 
published in the Banner of Light, dis- 
closed a depth of thought, a beauty of 
treatment, and a logical arrangement of 
ideas, which at once placed Mr. M< rse 
in the front rank of our foremost orators. 
In the delivery of the lectures there was 
a mingled pathos, irony, imagery, and 
eloquence, which, combined with the 
speaker's magnetic personality, compelled 
the attention and respect of even the 
most fastidious critic, besides charming 
and exciting the admiration of the 
friendly disposed. Mr. Morse left our 
shores sincerely regretted by all with 
whom he had come into contact, and 
upon his arrival in London he was ac- 
corded a magnificent reception by the 
British National Association of Spiritual- 
ists, tlun the hading organization in 
(neat Britain. Some ten years after 
the above period Mr. Morse made his 

first appearance On the Pacific Coast. 

The circumstances that ensured his pres- 
ence in this State was the holding of the 
Third Annual Meeting of" the "California 

Spiritualists' Camp-met ting Association,'' 
in 1887, the Board of Directors retaining 
Mr. Morse bs the leading speaker <>f the 
season. Mr. Morse's arrival on this 
Co-ist was warmly welcomed by the 
Spiritualists of the City of S in Francisco 

and St:tte. the Spiritualist press, 

tier Dovt and t!;< the former 

journal especially, very heartily sup- 
porting the new arrival's labors. The 
City ] orded him gi • 

notice, and frequently reported him at 
very considerable length. At lh< 
of his engagement with tin- Camp-meet- 



200 



J. J. MORSE. 



ing Association be commenced a year's 
engagement with the then existing "Gold- 
en Gate Religious and Philosophical 
Society," holding its meetings in Metro- 
politan Temple. Mr. Morse, in accepting 
the engagement, came to occupy the 
rostrum that Mrs. E. L. Watson had filled 
for several years, and whose untiring 
labors in connection therewith had at 
that time rendered it necessary that she 
should take a considerable vacation. It 
was with a serious sense of responsibility 
that Mr. Morse entered upon his duties, 
for following so distinguished a speaker 
as Mrs. Watson was for the stranger to 
challenge comparison with one whose 
talents and abilities have endeared her to 
the people to whom she had so faithfully 
miuistered. However, Mrs. Watson and 
her friends accorded the new-comer their 
loyal support and generous co-operation, 
and the success already achieved was 
abundantly continued, and the lectures 
did an incalculable amount of good. 
The philosophy of Spiritualism was pre- 
sented free from crudities and redundan- 
cies, and various frank, but always kindly, 
criticisms were directed against many of 
the fads and fancies that threatened to 
attach themselves to the movement. 
Scarcely any speaker who has visited 
this Coast has made so deep an impres- 
sion upon the minds of Spiritualists and 
the students of spiritual things as has 
Mr. Morse, and the splendid record he 
left behind him at the termination of his 
visit, publicly, personally, and socially 
is the best evidence of how endeared he 
became alike to those who attended his 
ministrations in public, and enjoyed the 
privilege of his friendship in private. 
He was accompanied by his wife, and 
daughter Florence, and their genial 
presence and kindly tact proved invalu- 
able adjuncts to the labors of our visitor. 
Since then, Miss Florence, who was the 
recipient of innumerable kindly atten- 
tions during her residence in San Fran- 
cisco, has become quite an active worker 
in the Spiritual cause. She has taken a 
deep interest in the work of the Children's 
Progressive Lyceum, and has been for 



several years associated with her father 
in the editorship of the English Lyceum 
Banner , the only paper in the world 
devoted exclusively to Lyceum work. 
She has also used her pen in other 
directions with credit to herself and use- 
fulness to the cause, and as a sweet 
singer her voice has lent a charm to 
innumerable meetings. 

During Mr. Morse's stay in California 
the Carrier Dove contained numerous 
verbatim reports of the lectures delivered 
by Mr. Morse at the Temple, which were 
reported by Mr. G. H. Hawes, who is ?o 
well known in this direction by the 
Spiritualists of the Pacific Coast. 

Prior to leaving California, Mr. Morse 
also gave two lectures in Tulare, which 
were very cordially received, several 
lectures in San Jose, with equal success, 
and for two months he conducted a series 
of independent meetings in San Fran- 
cisco, part of the time having the co-op- 
eration of the well-known test medium, 
Mrs. Ada Foye. Mr. Morse left the State 
in November of 1888, proceeding East to 
take up engagements for the fall and 
winter, and returned to England in Au- 
gust of the ensuing year. 

A period of little over seven years now 
elapses, which Mr. Morse spent in his 
own country, little expecting that his 
feet would ever turn toward the New 
World again, and least of all toward the 
State of California, which State, he says, 
he likes the best in the Union. But so it 
was to be. In the midsummer of 1895 he 
received a communication from a former 
friend, Mr. J. Dalzell Brown, asking if he 
would be interested in accepting a year's 
engagement from a new society about to 
be formed in San Francisco, accompanied 
by many flattering expressions of the 
value or his former labors, and assur- 
ances that his previous successes would 
be repeated. So earnest was the request 
that a response by cable was desired. 
After due consideration the engagement 
was accepted, and Mr. Morse's services 
were retained at the highest fee ever paid 
to a speaker on Spiritual and Psychic 
subjects, namely, #3000 for his year's 



J. J. MORSE. 



20I 



labor, and first-class traveling expenses 
'from London to San Francisco. Mr. 
Morse arrived in this city at the end of 
November, 1S95, and commenced his 
labors by a preliminary lecture in Golden 
Gate Hall, Sutter Street, on Friday even- 
ing, December 6th, at which a very large 
audience assembled, the daily papers giv- 
ing most favorable reports the following 
morning. Two days later he commenced 
his regular Sunday evening meetings at 
Beethoven Hall, which proved adequate 
to containing about one-half the people 
who desired to attend. The lectures were 
subsequently removed to Odd Fellows' 
Hall, and again to Armory Hall, where 
they were conducted with the greatest 
success. 

Apart from his activity upon the plat- 
form Mr. Morse has always taken an 
active part in promoting the cause in 
private life, as also in various ways affect- 
ing the general policy of the public work 
in his own country. He has been a 
warm advocate for practical organization, 
and took an active part in such matters as 
the formation of the "British National 
Association of Spiritualists," in Liver- 
pool, in 1872, serving upon its council 
until it was re-organized as the "Central 

i ition of Spiritualists," and so con- 
tinuing until that body was reconstituted, 
and re-named "The London Spiritualists 
Alliance,'' in which latter body he is an 
honored member. He engaged in the 

ad importation of American litera- 
ture, trading as the " Progressive Litera- 
aud which he still con- 
tinues. He has also been an active 

pondent to all the English jour- 

of which 
latter named journal he was one of the 

original ] kholders, 

and acted as subeditor thereto under his 

ever valued friend, its Original and 

cut editor, Mr. I.. Dawson Rogers, while 

our own papers have frequently contained 

contributions from his pen, ' 

ieal Journal x The Light of Truth, and the 

Banner of Light especially, to which last 



named paper he has been the accredited 
English correspondent for many years. 
In salient outline, this is substantially 
the career of this earnest and indefat- 
igable worker, whose life for nearly 
twenty-seven years past has unreservedly 
and unstintedly been devoted to the 
cause of human enlightenment. He has 
ever been desirous of being guided by 
the inward light developed within him 
by the unseen powers he has so faithfully 
served. A life that has been marvelously 
illustrative of what the spirit world can 
accomplish under favorable and orderly 
conditions and an intelligent co-opera- 
tion; and all the more noticeable when it 
is remembered that when this spiritual 
worker was called to his work he had for 
years been enduring vicissitudes and 
trials that quite put the opportunity or 
possibility of culture, philosophical re- 
search, literary excellence, or the develop- 
ment of dialectical ability entirely out of 
his reach, yet in these respects the char- 
acter of the work done through him has 
been excelled in but few instances, and 
seldom equaled. The secular press has 
given many reports of lectures through 
him, which for length, appreciati 
and commendation left nothing t<> be 
desired; while our own journal; have 
ever been foremost in printing the ^ 
utterances of his controls, to the edifica- 
tion and pleasure of their read 

various parts of the world. 

liter in the 
leading English Spiritualist 1 

d to Mr. Morse in the 

ing commendatory terms, in an 
"interview" subsequently reported in 

that journal in August, 1894. H< 

"Mr. Morse is a])].! (.aching tin 

pletion of hi-- twenty-fifth \ ear oi 

as a public medium, his silver wedding 

to the cause of Spiritual living 

man, 1 should - tely, 

and for so long a period, given hi- 
mind and heart and BOul to the ad 

of the cause; no man probabl 
so much by, and at tin- -.one time him- 
■ much t<». Spiritual 

That it hafl been the making of 



202 



J. J. MORSE. 



him — in a different sense, a higher sense, 
than the meaning usually attached to the 
phrase — he admits cheerfully and with 
gratitude; and in the making of the 
position which Spiritualism occupies in 
this country to-day Mr. Morse has had a 
substantial share. 

His a earance is an index to the 
character f the man. Bright, alert, 
clear-eyed, he gives the impression of 
en oying excellent health, notwithstand- 
ing the harrassing strain that his public 
work continuously imposes. He is a 
little below the medium stature and 
might later on. with less physical activ- 
ity, develop a tendency to portliness; 
just now he is sufficiently compact to 
maintain a pleasing presence. 

"The Morses occupy a commodious 
house about two minutes from Regent's 
Park. It is a private hotel for Spiritual- 
ists, the only establishment of the kind, 
I believe I am right in saying, in exist- 
ence — at any rate on this side of the 
Atlantic. There are Spiritualists who 
keep hotels, but none of these are neces- 
sarily hotels for Spiritualists more than 
for other people. In addition to the 
hotel Mr. Morse conducts an Institution 
for Spiritualists, which is doing excellent 
work. The visitor, entering the spacious 
and lofty room devoted to this branch 
of the effort, is struck first by the excel- 
lent library, consisting of some five hun- 
dred books connected with all phases of 
the subject, many of them exceedingly 
rare and practically unobtainable at the 
present time. On the reading-table one 
notices most of the Spiritualist period- 
icals, America and Australia being both 



well represented, and prominent among 
home publications being copies of Light 
and The Two Worlds. Mr. Morse possesses 
a complete file of these journals, from 
No. i to the current issue. A large col- 
lection of portraits of mediums, speakers, 
and writers, whose names are household 
words in the movement, furnish the walls. 

" Quite a number of illuminated ad- 
dresses, presented from time to time to 
Mr. Morse, intersperse the portraits, 
noticeable among them being those from 
the Glasgow, the Keighley, and the 
North Shields societies. Over the libra- 
rian's desk is a fine enlargement by per- 
manent carbon process, of the portrait of 
Mr. Morse himself, a present from Mr. 
Sadler, the well-known physical medium 
and photographer of Cardiff. Miss Flor- 
ence Morse, a pleasant and attractive 
young lady, has charge of this depart- 
ment, and appears to be very popular 
with the guests, whilst Mrs. Morse 
superintends the general arrangements 
of the hotel." 

This brief chronicle is but a fragment 
of the life it refers to, and is but intended 
as a condensed record of the earlier ex- 
periences of one whose name is now a 
household word wherever Spiritualism is 
known, or its literature may be found. 
May he long be spared to labor with us, 
and continue as an ever faithful advocate 
and exponent, by voice, pen, and life of 
the teachings of that Higher Gospel 
which is destined to establish on the 
firm foundation of demonstrated facts, 
that man's conscious soul continues to 
exist as a rational and personal entity, 
when his little day on earth is done. 



^>&*VS>^ 




AMANDA D. WIGGIN. 



AMANDA D- WIGGIN. 



The subject of this sketch was born 
in the year 1830, in Guilford, N. H., 
and is one of the early workers in the 
spiritual vineyard in California, being 
widely known and beloved as an hon- 
est, conscientious medium, to whom 
truth was above all other considera- 
tions and more to be sought after and 
desired than was riches, place or pow 
er. The spirit friends who controlled 
her spiritual work were of a high order 
of intelligences and freely imparted to 
others the angel-lore they had gathered 
in higher fields of thought and experi- 
ence. Many were comforted and blest 
through her gentle ministrations in 
seasons of affliction and mourning; at 
the bedside of the dying, and at the 
graves of loved ones, she has spoken 
words of cheer and consolation ; upon 
the rostrum, in the seance room, and 
in the private walks of life Bhe has 
been sustained and enabled to give the 
spirit, message, imparl instruction or 
lessons f counsel and warning. In 
whatever place or position her services 
were required, Bhe cheerfully and will- 
ingly obeyed the call giving ever the 
best thai Bhe received. Thus Bhe labor- 
ed earnestly and faithfully \'<>\- many 
years, Bowing seeds of righteousness 
which shall continue to bear fragrant 
blossoms and beautiful fruitage long 
after the willing sower shall have 
passed to the shores of immortal life, 

Mrs. Wiggin's early life was one of 
bereavement and vicissitude, yet cheer- 
ed and made blessed through the min- 
istrations of an angel mother. Natur- 
ally clairvoyant, Bhe -aw &cen< b others 

did not see, and elairaudienl ly beard 
voices others did not hear. 

When less than -even yean of aL r «- 



she saw and described an accident 
that was to befall a neighbor, which 
took place just as described. Later she 
saw a fire and a boy burning to death, 
and begged to have him saved, calling 
the name of the lad. This also occurred 
as described, although the scene of the 
fire was two miles distant. When she 
was twelve years old her mother passed 
away leaving her alone and friendless. 
Three months afterwards she was pun- 
ished severely by an orthodox Chris- 
tian with whom she was living. That 
night her mother appeared to her, and 
standing by the bedside took a corner 
of the sheet and wiped the tears from 
her cheeks, bidding her always tell the 
truth as she had done that day, and 
promising to take care of her. Then 
the great, sorrow and longing which 
the loss of her mother had caused was 
taken away, ami sweet sleep came 
bringing comfort and rest to her aching 

heart. 

On another occasion when about 

eighteen years of age, her mother gave 
her a warning concerning a ride she, 
in company with a number of other 

young people, were going to take on 
the PoUrtfa of July. She heeded the 
warning and declined to go. The 
young lady who took her place W8S 

killed. This made a la-ting Impressiou 
upon her. 

Religion took no deep hold upon her 
mind for she felt intuitively the injus- 
tice of the doctrine of eternal punish- 
ment, and con id never subscribe to any 
oreed or doot rine of t be church, i d 
he w as married i<» Wilson I 'base 

and to them were horn tWO children 

a -on and daughter, i [er deep affec- 
tionate nature h< iv found ample BCOpe. 



204 



AMANDA D. WIGGIN 



A loving husband, a stepdaughter and 
her own two children brought out all 
the sweet maternal tenderness of her 
soul ; and while the new duties and 
responsibilities rilled her daily life, her 
heart was filled with hope and happi- 
ness. 

In 1862, when the dark war cloud 
enshrouded our fair land, her husband 
being a loyal man, enlisted in the 
army and gave his life in defense of 
the old flag he loved so well. 

In the meantime, through the influ- 
ence of a friend, she had been induced 
to visit a medium and her spirit friends 
were there to greet her. She listened 
to their words of advice and began to 
sit for her own development. At the 
third sitting she was entranced and 
rapidly developed into a mental medi- 
um. She could visit battle-fields, find 
lost friends, tell who was wounded or 
taken prisoner, and it would prove 
true. At that time she was suffering 
with lung trouble and an Indian spirit 
came and told her he would cure her if 
she would give herself up to his con- 
trol. His advice was followed, and a 
cure effected. Her faithful guide also 
apprised her of the death of her hus- 
band and the very hour of his burial, 
and she received the news two hours 
after its occurrence. In a few months 
the spirit husband came to her and told 
her to go to California ; the guide also 
outlined the trip and said it was well 
to go. The voyage from New York to 
San Francisco via Cape Horn con- 
sumed four months, but at last Golden 
Gate was reached and the landing 
made in April, 1806. After residing 
here about eighteen months she began 
hermediumistic work which continued 
for about eight years. On Sept. 6th, 
1868, she was married to Mr. Harry 
Wiggin,the ceremony being performed 
by Mrs. Laura Cuppy in Maguire's 
Opera House on Washington St. This 
was the first marriage service in Cali- 
fornia at which a woman and a medium 
was the officiating clergyman ; and it 



evoked some newspaper comments. 
But Mrs. Cuppy was a legally ordain- 
ed Spiritualist Minister, and therefore 
entitled to all the rights and privileges 
accorded clergymen of other religious 
denominations. Mrs. Wiggin was the 
next to be ordained and licensed to 
marry people, officiate at funerals and 
receive her fee the same as any minis- 
ter. 

The death of her only daughter was 
followed three years later by the pass- 
ing away of her only son ; and these 
bereavements caused her mother heart 
anguish that years have not obliter- 
ated. Her knowledge of an immortal 
life was the rock to which she clung 
through these trying ordeals, and the 
only source of comfort and consolation. 
Her spirit friends spoke peace to her 
troubled soul, and she found her sweet- 
est joys in ministering to those afflicted 
like herself, helping them to see the 
beauty of the spiritual philosophy and 
realize the blessedness of angel com- 
munion. 

In the year 1875 the spirit friends 
told her husband that they were going 
to leave her and she was to have a good 
long rest. Their words were verified. 
Bitter tears had fallen on the cold, si- 
lent faces of her loved ones, but none 
more bitter or plentiful than liowed 
when she realized that the spiritual 
powers were gone. The promise was 
given, however, that at some time her 
mediumship would be restored; and 
she has faith in its fulfillment, as all 
other promises from the spirit side have 
been faithfully kept. When that time 
comes Mrs. Wiggin will gladly take 
her place once more among the work- 
ers in truth's vineyard. During all 
these twenty-seven years of work her 
husband has been her faithful helper 
and co-worker in the spiritual cause, 
and their lives How together in the 
sweetest harmony and perfect accord, 
exemplifying the happiness thatsprings 
from the marriage relation when two 
souls are perfectly blended as one. 




S. J. WOOUvEY 



S. J. WOOLLEY. 



The subject of this sketch may justly 
be called the busy bee philanthropist and 
author. But lew persons may be found 
with such a combination ot temperaments 
and mental characteristics, having a del- 
icate constitution and highly attuned 
organism, with more of his mother's 
nature than his father's. 

Mr. Woolley possesses firmness and 
stability, with persevering qualities sel- 
dom found in one man. Born with a love 
of nature in all her diversified forms, he 
has written of himself : "My life began 
in the country, and shall end mid nature's 
harmonies. In no critical spirit, how- 
ever, do I say that (iod made the country 
and man the town. I freely acknowledge 
my gratitude for the circumstances and 
surroundings of my early career, lor the 
innocent and unalloyed freedom of rural 
life; and rejoice that unsuited as I am to 
the motley life of the city, my cradle was 
1 in the- shadow of forests, and my 

earliest memories go back to the beau- 
tiful hills and valleys with their rocks and 
. rippling streams and picturesque 
landscapes." 

The 5Ubje< t of our sketch was born 
near Zanesville, Muskingum Co., Ohio, 
on the [2th day of January, [82 

that tinp- and m th.it place money was 
almost a curiosity, and wealth was un- 
dreamed of; and yet when speaking of 
those stim i he once 

said, "I wis bom in the midsl ot wealth; 
I count the first radiant gleam ol love 
tlir anxious and tender gaze ol my moth- 
er, of more value than mines ol gold, 
and the remembrance ol h< 1 love has 
beenasweel and blessed memory through 
life." 



When but sixteen years of age Mr. 
Woolley achieved a notable business and 
industrial success. Through bad man- 
agement his father's finances became 
involved, and he was compelled to bor- 
row four hundred dollars at ten percent, 
interest, giving a mortgage upon his farm 
by way of security. A year rolled speed- 
ily around and nothing was realized to 
the extinguishment of the debt. It was 
considered in the neighborhood inevit- 
able that the mortgagee would get the 
place by foreclosure. At this crisis Sol- 
omon came to the rescue and proposed 
that while his father should continue at 
his trade for the support of his family, 
he would undertake the sole charge of 
the farm of one hundred and sixty acres, 
in a Vigorous eflort to make enough to 
lift the mortgage. It was agreed to, and 
within eighteen month the full sum must 
be raised. Solomon saw th.u with the 
best of management it was only possible 
to efie t this by sowing most of the land 
to wheat, and that then, with a good har- 
vest and fair price, SUCCi itain. 
He had not only the entire responsibility 
but almost the entire labor to do, since 
his adult hall-brothets had all gone from 

home, and hi-- younger brothers were too 

small to be of mill h Sei\ ice. 

He went fearlessly and bravelj to his 
task. Beginning his days' labor at four 
o'clock, he worked three hours 1 
breakfa >t, and Ihen with brief inl 
sions for dinner and supper, he kept on 
until dark, and on moonlight nights until 
far into the evening. His faithful toil, 

though it brought him many hOUl 

and somewhat impaired his 
health, met \\ ith reward. It tui ned out 



206 



S. J. WOOLLEY 



to be a good wheat year, and Solomon's 
good crop of well-filled grain of a supe- 
rior quality, was the finest in that region. 
Wheat, too, was higher than usual, and 
he sold for a good price. Consequently, 
when the mortgage fell due, he had the 
proud satisfaction of releasing it in full, 
and presenting it to his lately burdened 
and anxious, but now overjoyed and 
grateful parents. 

His mother was of Holland descent, 
and her ancestors including her father 
and grandfather had been people of con- 
siderable business ability. In Amster- 
dam they carried on a large manufactory 
of silk, linens, etc. But his mother, 
whose name was Elizabeth Askins, was 
born in this country. Mr. Woolley's an- 
cestors on his father's side were English, 
but came to this country before the Rev- 
olutionary War and were among the first 
settlers ot New Jersey. 

With such combined elements as he 
inherited from his ancestors it is no won- 
der that he is a lover of liberty. Sur- 
rounded as he was in childhood mid the 
wilds of a new country, his spirit would 
naturally leap the boundary of common 
rules, and demand its independece. 

He once expressed himself in this man- 
ner: "Slavery is intolerable to a man who 
has once felt the grandeur and sublimity 
of natural scenery. Let no man own 
your soul. Let no creed cramp your 
spirit. Let no doctrine chain your mind. 
Let no party, church or school become 
proprietors of your fetterless thoughts. 
This is the teaching of this magnificent 
world, with its towering mountains, its 
extended plains, vast oceans and beauti- 
ful starry firmament above." 

We next find our subject in a new en- 
terprise; although only a youth of seven- 
teen years, he thought he had discovered 
that which might make his fortune in the 
blossom of iron ore on his father's farm, 
and he set to work manufacturing paint 
for the entire world. Charmed by its 
strange and beautiful color, he sought its 
possibilities ;is a source of wealth; but all 
this proved a failure, except to arouse 
his mechanical skill. He made a mill to 



grind his paint and when ready to com- 
mence grinding, the people for miles 
around came to laugh at the boy's en- 
terprise; but as Fulton's steamboat mov- 
ed up the Hudson river, so did the mill 
go, and the boy's hopes were higher 
than ever, and we find him next in the 
great city of Cincinnati trying to find a 
market for his paints, and taking a few 
object lessons. 

His next dream was of New York 
City, so he hired to a man who was 
about to take a drove of horses across 
the mountains. Here he had many ad- 
veutures both ludicrous and dangerous. 
But the trip to New York was enjoyable, 
and to this young and adventurous spirit 
was an intense pleasure. The horses 
were sold and his part of the money was 
invested in forty brass clocks and a pile 
of books. And now we find him on the 
steamer Empire, headed for Albany, 
N. Y. The steamer met with a terrible 
accident and many lost their lives. Just 
as the Empire was about to sink Mr. 
Woolley leaped for life, like a wild deer, 
from her deck and landed on the 
schooner that had sunk her. 

After a hard struggle with fate we find 
the subject of this sketch at home again, 
his clocks and books all sold, and now 
he is ready for some new enterprise. This 
time he undertakes the daguerreotype 
business, and meets with indifferent re- 
sults. 

We have entered into the details of 
Mr. Woolley's early life with the hope 
that his example of perseverence and 
energy may be of value in its influence 
for the encouragement of the young. So 
we will pass on by saying that his whole 
life of nearly sixty-seven years has been 
full of marked events. Agriculture 
and horticulture have been his leading 
pursuits, and his most successful occupa- 
tion. One must visit his great tile fact- 
ory where the best products in that line 
air made, and one must visit his model 
farm home called, Apple Dale Devon 
Stock Farm in order to appreciate his 
success in that line of business. 

Mr. Woollev always sought to brine: 



S. T. WOOLLEY 



207 



himself in rapport with the leading men 
of his time; prominent among them may 
be mentioned Horace Greeley, Dr. 
Chapin, Henry Ward Beecher, Dr. R. T. 
Trail and many others; by being associ- 
ated with such minds has enabled him 
to keep abreast with the advance 
thought of the age. 

But there is another side to S. J. 
Woolley's life. Like all men who have 
achieved great success there is a power 
other than their own assisting them. 
Mr. Woolley claims that he is concious 
of some power or inspiration from his 
earliest experience. Having been a 
medium, or a sensitive from childhood, 
few people have really understood him. 

At the dawn of modern Spiritualism 
his impressive nature grasped the hopes 
of demonstrated immortality, and at his 
earliest opportunity he sought to give 
Spiritualism a thorough investigation. 
In this, as in all of his undertakings, he 
was determined to know the truth to a 
certainty that should dispel all doubt. 
He visited a materializing medium who 
lived at that time in Terre Haute, Indi- 
ana. So eager was he to settle the ques- 
tion of spirit materialization that he en- 
gaged the medium for ten consecutive 
sittings at $5 per seance, and allowed no 
one present except the members of her 
own family and her manager; in this way 
he manifested more wisdom than is usu- 
ally displayed by investigators. While 
Dr. King was acting as Chairman al 
Woolley's Summerland Beach in the 
season ol I 1 -'- 1 . Mr. Woolley was called 
upon to give his experience with the 
spirits at the time and place mentioned 
above. His graphic description in 
full of interest thai the large assembly 
was held spellbound. 

While knowing that the claims of Spir- 
itualism were tl lie, and that only time- 
was needed t<> give the people an oppor- 
tunity to investigate, he has contributed 
largelj to assist in the upbuilding of the 
cause from tin)-- to time. After three 
years of trials and struggles <>n the part 
of 1 )r. King and othi tablish the 

National Spiritual and Religiou Camp 



Association, Central Ohio department, at 
Ashley, Ohio, Mr. Woolley came to the 
rescue. It was necessary to raise money 
to purchase land, and in order to secure 
a grove of twenty-eight acres Bro. Wool- 
ley contributed one thousand dollars, and 
the park was named "Woolley Park" in 
honor of him. Others contributed read- 
ily when they had such encouragement, 
and to-day the society owns its place for 
holding camps and is out of debt and 
successful. 

But Mr. Woolley's restless and intuitive 
spirit could not stop here; so he started 
out to find a place that had all the neces- 
sary conveniences, and natural advan- 
tages for what he most desired; and after 
several days of diligent searching he 
found his ideal — his earthly spirit home. 
He makes it his own, has planted trees, 
and is building a large and commodious 
hotel and sanitarium, cottages and other 
buildings. One season of camp work 
has come and gone, and now with all the 
energy and ambition of youth he is pre- 
paring for a large concourse of people 
next season, commencing on July [St, 
and continuing six weeks, with first class 
instruction from opening until close. 

The location of this place is twenty six 
miles due east from Columbus, ( >. A 
network of railroad lines surround it, 
making it easy of access from all direc- 
tions. It is a healthy situation being 
I on the south and west end ol 
Buckeye Lake. This lake is a beautiful 
of water some ten miles long and 
is bordered with an immense quantity 
ol Egytian Lotus lillies which form a 
garland <»t loveliness that is really en- 
chanting to the beholder. 

The great objei I and purpose ol Mr. 
Woolley in this movement is to establish 

.1 spiritual and religlOU 

»logy and Ti 

to build up a brotherhood and • 
hood by bringing tog< ther such p< 
and co-workers as will fraternize, make 
homei diums and 1 and 

give them proper « ondii ulture 

and pro'e. tioii. Mr. W< >oll< 

that this is a 1 nd, of 



208 



S. J. WOOLLEY 



course, cannot hope to see his plans per- 
fected while he remains here; but if it is 
like nearly all his other movements suc- 
cess is certain in the end. 

There are fifty five acres of choice land 
laid out into lots; about twenty acres will 
be set aside for the park and pleasure 
grounds; the remainder will ready for 
sale to those who wish to associate them- 
selves with the movement. Let it be 
remembered that Mr. W. has spent 
thousands of dollars to promote the 
cause of pure Spiritualism, but this is 
the crowning work of all, and will be 
the greatest achievement of his busy 
life. He desires to have established in 
connection with the camp a public library 
and museum. Any one having old relics, 
books or even papers and feel like con- 
tributing something toward the cause 
can send them to his address and they 
will be carefully used and credited. 

His Sanitarium will be of far reaching 



benefit to humanity. All curable dis' 
eases are cured by his corps of mediums. 
Magnetic healing and other forces that 
exist which are not known to the ordi- 
nary practitioner will be used to the full- 
est extent in this Institution. His Speci- 
alist for the cure of cancers eradicates 
every vestige of this loathsome disease 
without the knife, and without causing 
the patient suffering. The Hotel and 
sanitarium is located at the south west 
side of the Ohio State Park, in a retired 
nook, by the beautiful Buckeye Lake. 
The atmosphere about this lake is very 
invigorating, bracing and health giving. 
Persons have been cured of hay fever, 
asthma, and other diseases who came 
here to spend a few weeks recuperating, 
and fishing. 

All communications should be ad- 
dressed to S. J. Woolley, Pres. Milo,. 
P. O. in the City of Columbus, Ohio.- 







WALTER HOWEIX. 



W ALTER HOWELL. 






The main incidents in this sketch of 
the early life of Mr. Howell are taken 
from Th< Medium of London, England; 
additional notes of the later work of 
Mr. Howell during the past ten years 
having been compiled from data at 
hand, and the author's own personal 
acquaintance with the subject of the 
sketch. 

The name of Walter Howell is famil- 
iar to nearly all English and American 
Spiritualists, and therefore sonic partic- 
ulars concerning his career may be of 
considerable interest to on r readers. 

He was of bumble parentage, and 
was born in the city of Bath. Unfor- 
tunately for his material prospects he 
was blind at his birth. During infancy 
he underwent several surgical opera- 
tions, iimler the >killful treatment of 

Dr. Doll and Dr. Boden, of Batb ; but 
these operations were only partially 
successful, and therefore it was impos- 
sible for him to obtain an ordinary edu- 
cation ; and he had nol even the ad- 
vantage of a blind tutorage. At a very 
early age Walter was taken from Bath 

by his parents to the l<»\sn of Warmin- 
ster, Wiltshire, w here be remained 
until after the removal of bis mother 
to tic higher life. While in War min- 
uter he was Bent, as a matter of form, 
to the British School. 1 n the infant 
class, where he was allowed to go up 
close to t he alphabet-board, he learned 
the A. B. ( ' ; but he waa quite uuable 

to proceed heyond that BtagC, becaUBC 

bis sight did not permit him to read 

ordinary type. Owing to the affliction 



of his mother with paralysis, he was 
presently obliged to leave school, when 
still under nine years of age, to help to 
earn his own livelihood. After the 
lapse of about four years, his mother 
passed away ; then Howeh left home 
and commenced to fight the battle of 
life alone. 

Under such circumstances as these 
it can easily be understood that Walter 
Howell's life has not been one of ease 
and luxury. With the material vicis- 
situdes of his career we have less con- 
cern than with those portions ^( his 
history which ailed his development 
as a Spiritualist, and which afford con- 
vincing proof of the unseen guiding In- 
fluence which has followed him and 
remained with him all through his 
career, and has formed and extended 

those spiritual powers which distin- 
guish him. In this connection i! may 
not he uninteresting to trace Mr, How- 
ell's Spiritualism to a hereditary 
Bource. 

Walter Howell's mother was a de- 
vout Christian, aud from childhood 
had Im.ii a member of Ihe Weslej an 
body. iii her early life Bhe had no 
great educational advantages : Bhe was, 
how ever, a person of a refined and ex 

tremi ly BeilBitive nature, and was, no 
doubt, ver\ intuitional. Bhe 

most sy m pal hetic bouI, and alu 
ministering imidsl bc 

row. I [er earn< Bl pi a} i r ascended to 
heaven daily that her boya two in 
number might gro* up to be I 
and noble men When it Is stated that 



2IO 



WALTER HOWELL 



her husband was a continual source of 
anxiety to her on account of his intem- 
perate habits, that she fully realized 
that her youngest son, Walter, was by 
virtue of his defect of vision, wholly 
incapable of doing battle with the 
world, and that her life was a contin- 
ual struggle for mere existence, it is 
not surprising that in early life she 
broke down, and passed on to a world 
where angel hands wipe tears from all 
faces. Truly the world knows not one 
half of its heroines and heroes. Many 
a brave heart combats in secret silence 
difficulties as great as any which are 
blazoned to the world, and performs 
actions braver than those for which the 
battle-field affords opportunity. But 
though the poets of earth have not 
sung its praises, heavenly bards pro- 
claim the epic of its heroism. In the 
sensitiveness, sympathy, conscientious- 
ness and spirituality of Mr. Howell's 
mother we see the involved medium- 
ship of her sou. Mothers, indeed, rock 
the crad'es of the nations, and all men 
of note in whatever sphere of life, owe 
their greatness largely, if not entirely, 
to their mother's teaching, or to the 
gentle refinement inherited from the 
maternal parent. 

Mr. Howell became connected with 
the Methodist Church at as early a 
period of his life as was possible. There 
are, perhaps, few better places for 
bringing out latent ability than the 
class-meeting, the cottage services, and 
other institutions of that kind in the 
Methodist Church. Of course we do 
not mean to say that there is much 
freedom of thought there. Far from 
it ; but there is an opportunity of ex- 
pressing such thought as is permissible 
in that body. Mr. Howell was ten 
years of age when he first met in class 
to express his desire to " flee from the 
wrath to come." This is, as all Metho- 
dists know, the simple condition of 
membership. There never was a time 
siuce the beginning of his religious im- 
pressibility when it was not Howell's 
earnest wish to live as far as was pos- 



sible, in accordance with his conception 
of right. And being extremely sensi- 
tive, he was during early childhood 
subjected to the most painful experi- 
ences, owing to the manner in which 
religious thought was expressed. Some- 
times in the middle of the night he 
was thrown into convulsions ot fear, 
as a consequence of his meditation up- 
on some sermon which he had heard. 
His mother, imagining that the visita- 
tion was simply the workings of God's 
Holy Spirit, felt more gratified than 
alarmed, and in her pious hope and be- 
lief, distinctly encouraged the influ- 
ence. When we remember what dear 
little children have had to listen to, in 
the form of orthodox theology, and 
knowing as w T e do the sensitiveness of 
their natures, ought we not to see that, 
as far as possible, these influences shall 
henceforth harm none over whom we 
are placed in the positions of parents or 
guardians? 

For two years Howell met in class, 
giving no evidences of a change of 
heart. The doctrines of the church 
were by no means understood by him ; 
and his greatest difficulty was to be- 
lieve that he did believe. In his child- 
ish heart he often wished there was no 
God ; for instead of having a desire to 
know God, his only purpose was not 
to call down upon himself " the divine 
wrath." The God of theology was to 
his mind a monster. For the time the 
soul seemed imprisoned in a theologi- 
cal dungeon, where the highest hopes 
and aspirations were fettered. How 
often, like the winged bird, the aspir- 
ing spirit beats itself against the bars 
of a churchianic cage in utter an- 
guish ! 

When about twelve years of age— our 
pilgrim having up to that time made 
but little progress " in the divine life" 
— there came a marked change, which 
has been described by him in the fol- 
lowing manner: Me was traveling 
along a country road, suffering as he 
had done for years, from depression of 
spirits. The thought occurred to him 



WALTER HOWELL 



211 



that he would try Jacob's plan and 
" wrestle with God." He entered a 
field, knelt down, and said, " Now, 
Lord, J will never let Thee go, until 
Thou dost bless me." Here the child 
remained for houis "pleading with 
God." When evening's shadows began 
to mantle the earth and stais, the sen- 
tinels of night, came out to watch over 
the slumbering orb, a light from realms 
supernal broke upon the horizon of his 
soul, and he arose transported witli 
ecstasy. The opaque earth now became 
transparent, and the air was full of 
music Involuntarily the words fell 
from his lips : 

" My God is reconciled ; His pardoning 
voice I hear, 

He owns me for His child; I can no 
longer fear." 

All Methodists can well picture the 
scene at the class-meeting on the fol- 
lowing Sunday. He was the first to 
speak, and his joy filled the class. 
Even the sleeping echoes in the walls 
responded in joyful strain. From this 
time forward he was a missionary spir- 
it. 

The experience just spoken of did 
not destroy his child-likeness. He w;is 
by no means a consistent child, in the 
popular sense of the word. At the 
same time he was most consistent with 
his own nature. In illustration of 
this point it may be mentioned that lie 
would in bll sincerity pray with some 

of his boy companions one hour, and 
arrange a piece of mischief with them 

the next Anything ho en ten d into 
he did with all his soul. Whilst be 

was by do means cruel, he was brimful 
of fun. To -<»iii<- mind-, t lo- statement 
just mad.- will appear paradoxical to 
an assertion made earlier in t bis narra- 
tive, that Mr. Howell suffered from 
early childhood from depression of 
spirits. Those who are familiar with 
temperaments Buch as his, however, 
know that the sensitiveness that occa- 
sions keeu< si Badness, also Is subjected 

to Btates of hilarity. 

It would have been amusing toour 



readers to have seen the boy walking 
into some neighbor's house, and in- 
forming the inmates "that he had 
come to preach to them." To satisfy 
the eccentricity of the lad they used to 
stand him upon a chair, and on more 
than one occasion he came to con- 
sciousness and found his hearers weep- 
ing. It is very easy to trace his rnedi- 
umship from a very early age. 

Although Walter was unable to read, 
he was recognized as an advanced 
scholar in the Sunday-school. More 
than one of the teachers found in him 
a critic of no mean order. They there- 
fore removed him, before his age war- 
ranted it, to the Young Men's Bible 
Class. Here, too. he was found by 
the comparatively ignorant teacher, a 
troublesome element. This fact will 
explain what follows. 

One Sunday afternoon the superin- 
tendent came into the Bible Class in 
search of a teacher for a class of boys. 

Mr. T embraced this opportunity 

of getting rid of his most troubles,, mo 
scholar, and the position was taken by 
our friend. After listening to (he read- 
ing of the lesson by the boys, Walter 
proceeded to otter some remarks, and 
became s«, absorbed that be did not 
perceive that two other classes with 
their teachers came and joined the 
company to listen to bis observations. 

When bo came to himself be discover- 
ed the enlargement, and asked them 
why they bad united the classes? 
Whereupon he was informed that his 
conversation bad caused those unruly 
DOJ - w hom no oio' could conlr 1, to 
bend their heads and listen, Slid their 

companions thought there musl be 
something worth listening i<>. and bo 
they came t" Bee. \i the nexl teach- 
ers' mi eting - ur frit ud was appointed 
:i s the teacher of that class. The boys 
often made mistatu • lii reading i" try 

if tiny could cheal Walter, but be 

a] >vaj - made Iheni :■•■ ov< r I b< Ir 
again; and w ben In- was asked bow be 
knew \\ inn t bey made mil 
replied, " Bomel bing inside sec ms t" 



212 



WALTER HOWELL 



tell me." This evidences remarkable 
intuition, to say the least. During the 
time he remained as teacher he was 
occasionally called upon to address the 
scholars. This offered him still further 
opportunity for developing his powers 
as a speaker. It was his exceptional 
ability which caused his name to be 
mentioned at the quarterly meeting, 
when he was scarcely seventeen years 
of age. 

It was a matter of great surprise to 
him one evening on entering his lodg- 
ings, to find the minister awaiting 
him. " Walter," said the minister, 
"your name has been brought before 
the quarterly meeting, and you are 
down for three Sundays next plan, on 
trial, or as an exhorter." "But," pro- 
tested Walter, " I cannot preach." To 
this the minister replied, " I am told if 
you only speak to the people as you do 
to the children in the Sunday-school it 
will please any congregation." The 
minister found considerable difficulty 
in persuading Howell that he was fit 
to undertake the task, but quoted well- 
timed passages of Scripture which 
were calculated to afford him comfort 
and strength to take upon himself the 
new undertaking, and left him in earn- 
est meditation. Howell, having deter- 
mined that he would attempt the task, 
was at first in a state of perplexity as 
to how he should manage about the 
reading of hymns and appointed chap- 
ters of Scripture. Pie, however, suc- 
ceeded in obtaining the help of a friend 
who was greatly desirous of introduc- 
tion to the service of God, and who un- 
dertook to act as reader for him, and 
take his place as preacher if he should 
fail and break down. 

It can with truth be said that their 
first ascent into the pulpit was with 
fear and trembling. Howell's assistant 
commenced the service by giving out, 
in thoroughly Methodistieal style, the 
hymn, " Oh, for a thousand tongues to 
sing." Howell then offered prayer, 
and the rest of the preliminary service 
was conducted by his friend. During 



the singing of the hymn immediately 
preceding the sermon, Howell had a 
strange and indescribable feeling. 
Everything around him seemed to 
dance; he felt himself moved to rise,, 
and then he heard himself speak. 
What he said he never knew, but he 
went on and on, and could not stop 
until he finally regained conscious- 
ness. When Howell descended the 
pulpit stairs an old man met him, 
grasped both his hands, and said, 
"God bless you, my lad; I never 
heard such a sermon in my life; " and 
a member of the congregation assured 
him that they had had a perfect treat. 
The debut was at the morning service, 
and at the evening service of the same 
day the chapel was over-crowded. 

After that wherever he went the 
congregations were large, for country 
places, and he was regarded as a kind 
of prodigy. It was often remarked 
that "the Holy Ghost helped him." 
Be this as it may, it was not long before 
some defenders of the faith found in 
his utterances a heterodox spirit, and 
at the end of about three-quarters, he 
was brought before the local preachers' 
meeting to answer charges of heresy. 
In some of his sermons the doctrines 
of eternal punishment, trinity, and 
plenary inspiration of the Bible had 
been assailed. Whilst standing before 
the churchianic judge and jury, he 
was not the subject of any inspiration- 
al influence, and when these charges 
were made against him, he could an- 
swer nothing. At last he burst into 
tears, and sobbed out, " I did not want 
to preach, but you compelled me. I 
said I could not study my sermons 
and you said God's Holy Spirit would 
help my infirmities. If it is God's 
Holy Spirit that has helped me and 
you could prove that the Holy Ghost 
was not a Methodist, you would turn 
him out, wouldn't you." Tne judge 
and jury needed no more evidence. 
They had heard the blasphemy for 
themselves, His name was taken off 
the plan, and for fear he should taint 



WAL'IER HOWELL 



2I 3 



the youthful mind, he ^ras not allowed 
to reoccupy hi3 former position as a 
teacher of the class of boy-. 

At this period he had not even so 
much as heard of Spiritualism. He 
was now an object of comment every- 
where in the circuit. He was preached 
at from the pulpit, prayed at in the 
prayer meetings, and exhorted to re- 
turn to the Lord in the class meeting, 
and altogether looked upon as some- 
thing exceedingly dangerous. About 
this time he took a ticket of removal, 
and did not deposit it in any other cir- 
cuit. 

Some two years afterwards, Modern 
Spiritualism came under bis notice. 
At first he did not know what to make 
of it. There was nothing to attract 
him in it, for as yet he knew nothing 
really of it. When in South London 
he commenced t'> investigate physical 
phenomena, and sometime afterwards 
- invited to go to Liberty Hall, 
Church Street, Islington, on a Sunday 
evening. Mi-. Bullock came on the 
platform and Baid, " We've been disap- 
pointed of our speaker this evening, 
but the spirits have told us they are 
bringing a speaker, and we await the 
fulfillment of their promise." The 
audience was then asked to sing. 
Whilst the singing g on, 

Waller was controlled and took the 
platform. Alter he had addressed the 

audience, his inspire 1*8 told the audi- 
ence they bad used his organism for 

and bad at last found t be sphere 
where their though - could bud more 

I expression. The Influence was 

. me u t bat felt in t be pulpit, 
only tb«- control was deeper. 
ia1 time Mr. I lnwvii u. 
in business, at King 

for sittings at the 

<>f business, and tic beads of the 

firm and employees united in investigat- 
ing, i 

of the truth of Spiritualism. Friends 

ilso invited, and many oi them be- 
came Spiritualists; and tor more than 
two years the principals oi the .firm held 



communion with their departed friends 
through Mr. Howell's mediumship. Dur- 
ing this time, it was often observed that 
the medium would have to take the plat- 
form. Mr. Howell, however, seems to 
have had an objection to so doing, and it 
was sometime before his scruples could 
be overcome. 

Eventually our friend lelt London and 
went traveling in the Provinces. While 
on a journey he had a misfortune with 
his glasses, and continued his journey 
without them. The cold east wind struck 
his unprotected eyes, and inflammation 
set in. He was blind for more than six 
months. When his sight returned to its 
former state he was obliged to seek a sit- 
uation. He went to Liverpool in search 
of employment, but failed to obtain any- 
thing to his advantage. Having a kind 
of agency, he went to Manchester, where 
he afterwards commenced to speak pub- 
licly in behalf of Spiritualism. A gentle- 
man wrote to Mr. Fitton, the chairman 
of the Manchester Society of Spiritual- 
ists, stating that Walter Howell was a 
medium of promise, and if he could get 
him on the platform, it might be a boon 
to the Cause. Mr. Litton invited Mr. 
II to his house, asked him to accom- 
pany him to the hall, and then introduced 
him to the Manchester audience. The 
Manchester friends were so much pi 
with him that tiny invited him 
their platform often. Mr. Howell's rep. 
utation soon spread all over the country, 

and he was solicited to spi 

where. The work of tins laborer must 

for itself in the hearts and minds 

of his auditors. 
In th<- year [882 Ml I lowell i i 

tie- Atlanta . His work in Aniei ic.i has 
(I tie- lit'- n ! n .n ol ' 111" of the 

most cultured mind . ["hose who have 

>\ to the I 

can bear testimony to theii •< ientifi 
philosophical < h have 

had tie- opportunity oi ' hoosii g their 
md b.i\ «■ lie. ii 1. 1 
1 theii apprei iation ol tin- inspiring 
intelligence. In Septeml 
tin ned to his native land, to visit hi 



2I 4 



WALTER HOWELL 



friends. 

Mr. Howell acknowledges his entire in- 
debtedness to his spirit friends for his ed- 
ucation. Surely, such an instance as this 
is a striking example of spirit guidance. 
Mr. Howell's life is consecrated to the 
work of the spiritual world, and his un- 
tiring labors evidence that, 
"Life's more than breath, or the quick 

round of blood; 
It's a great spirit and a busy heart. 
He lives most who thinks most, feels the 

noblest, 
And acts the best." 

Mr. Howell does not pride himself up- 
on having had no educational advantages 
in his youth, as might possibly be imag- 
ined. He deeply regrets not having had 
the opportunity of being thoroughly cul- 
tured, fully realizing that the more cul- 
tured the mind of the medium, the more 
intellectual will be the spiritual surround- 
ings. It is deeply to be deplored that so 
many Spiritualists glory in the ignorance 
ot the medium, if the controls be only 
somewhat more advanced. It should be 
the aim of every medium to cultivate his 
or her mind so that the influence may 
find a clearer method of expression. 

Mr. Howell is of opinion that those 
mediums who so desire, can, in a great 
measure, appropiate the knowledge 
which passes through them. The brain 
— being the organ through which thought 
manifests itself, whether abnormally or 
normally expressed — retains an impres- 
sion of that which is transmitted. If, 
therefore, the medium is in sympathy 
with the highest thought thus expressed, 
Mr. Howell says there may be a devel- 
opment therefrom, like developed im- 
pressions received upon a sensitized 
photographer's plate. In this way, he be- 
lieves, mediums are helped in an educa- 
tional manner by spirits. Mr. Howellowes 
much to his guides for their educational 
influence. Those who know him but 
imperfectly would not regard him as an 
uneducated man, but thos'«3 who know 
him well do not doubt the accuracy of his 
statements. 

The records found in Bath Eye Infirm- 



ary show that Walter Howell was born 
blind. They also give a full account of 
the state of the eyes after the operations 
had been performed. The books con- 
taining medical testimony prove that his 
sight must be, and must always have 
been, too imperfect to enable him to 
study. Those who live in the neighbor- 
hood where he was brought up, can also 
testify to the fact that he received no 
blind education. If, therefore, we find a 
man who is capable of delivering dis- 
courses on any subjects chosen by the 
audience, and calling forth complimen- 
tary criticism from avowed non-Spiritual- 
ists, we are surely bound to acknowledge 
an avenue for acquiring wisdom, other 
than that of the senses. 

During the fall of 1887 Walter Howell 
labored in Willouby, O., and lectured in 
Bond's Hall. During the month of De- 
cember that year he visited Buffalo, N. 
Y., and from thence went to Cincinnati, 
where large audiences greeted him for 
two months. Later on his engagements 
were in Cleveland, Erie, Titusville, and 
many other places in Northwestern Penn- 
sylvania, Western New York and Ohio. 
For two years our speaker lectured every 
Sunday in Titusville; and, within a radi- 
us of two hundred miles he preached the 
gospel of Spiritualism through the week. 

In the summer of 1888, in company 
with friends, he again visited England, 
and on this occasion crossed the Chan- 
nel, making a trip to Paris, Basale, sev- 
eral places in Germany, and through 
Switzerland, and back to Calais by way 
of Boulogne, and thence to London once 
more. For the next two or three years 
his work was done in Pennsylvania 
mostly, and in the fall of 1890, he again 
returned to England, where for about 
ten months his Sundays and week-even- 
ings were fully engaged in lecturing in 
all parts of Great Britain. 

After returning to America, in 1891. his 
health was such that it became advisable 
for him not to travel too much, and to be 
where his physician could be called at 
any time: hence he confined his labors to 
New York City, Brooklyn, and other 



WALTER HOWELL 



215 



cities on the New York side of the Hud- 
son near New York. 

In the Autumn of 1894 Walter Howell 
received a call to minister to "The Soci- 
ety of Progressive Spiritualists," of San 
Francisco, Cal., and here his discourses 
were appreciated by large audiences in 
Golden Gate Hall. 

During Mr. Howell's soiourn in San 
Francisco, he endeared himself to a large 
circle of friends through his genial social 
qualities, which made him a welcome 
guest everywhere. He worked for the 
harmonization of all societies and individ- 
uals, feeling that only through unity of 
purpose and harmony of action could 
the best results be obtained in the ad- 
vancement of the interests of Spiritual- 
ism. His public services extended over 
a period of eight months, and when his 
engagement was ended he left a void in 



the hearts of his people not easily filled. 
His return to San Francisco as the set- 
tled pastor of a spiritual society is looked 
forward to as one of the desirable possi- 
bilities of the not distant future by many 
of the devoted friends whose acquaint- 
ance with Mr. Howell during his stay 
amongst them deepened into a warm and 
lasting friendship. 

After leaving San Francisco Mr. How- 
ell returned to New York and soon 
received a call to Boston. The Spiritual 
Temple of that city was his next sphere 
of usefulness in October and November 
of 1895. He was in New York in De- 
cember, and the New Year of 1896 finds 
him in St. Paul, Minnesota, ministering 
to excellent audiences; and in that city 
he remains until June, when he contem- 
plates a trip to England again. 



EUDORA B. MARCEN 



How much environment, heredity and 
unseen psychic influence help to mold and 
develop the character of the individual it 
is difficult to determine. That they are 
an important factor, every progressive 
thinker is ready to admit. So with the 
subject of this sketch, Eudora B. Marcen: 
there were many influences, both physical 
and psychical, connected with the time 
and place of her birth that wrought them- 
selves into the fabric of her being and 
made her the sensitive that she is. She 
is a native of California. Both her father 
and mother were born in New York; but 
they represent a cosmopolitan ancestry 
drawn from the sturdy Anglo Saxon and 
the more volatile Latin nations. The 
time of her birth was in those troublesome 
days just preceding the opening of the 
late war, when the mental and moral at- 
mosphere of our country was in a state of 
great agitation; when the very air was 
pregnant with grand ideas for the ad- 
vancement ?md elevation of mankind. 
The place of her birth was a cottage 
home among broad fields of waving 
grain, near what is now the city of San 
Jose, Cal., at that time just emerging 
from an old mission town. 

Born in this golden land of romance 
and religion, just after the unhealthy ex- 
citement of our early mining days, and 
just before the grand social upheaval of 
the rebellion, any one intimately acquain- 
ted with Mrs. Marcen can trace the in- 
fluence of the times in her character. 
Combined with a somewhat delicate 
physical organization, she has a highly 
wrought nervous system and fine mental 
powers; in short she is a true sensitive. 
She is naturally religious in the broad- 
est .ind best acceptation of the term, 
with a keen sense of right and justice and 
a strong desire to aid the oppressed in 
whatever condition of life. Her natural 
inclination leads her to mental and moral 
work, and she is always ready to join 



hands with those who are striving to ad- 
vance the welfare of poor humanity. 
Her childhood was passed in the quiet of 
rural life, where she early developed a 
strong love forall animate nature, making 
pets of all the farm animals, even climb- 
ing into the barn-loft to inspect and talk 
to the pigeons, which, she declared, as 
well as the other animals, understood 
and talked with her. Roaming over the 
fields or lying on the roofs chattering to 
(he birds she much preferred to the usual 
pastimes of little girls. 

She early developed a talent for story 
telling, conversing with herself for hours, 
smiling and weeping in turn over the joys 
and sorrows of her imaginary characters. 
In the light of present developments, how 
much of this was imagination and hovi 
much unseen influence has often been 
questioned by her family. As the years 
of her girlhood passed by she acquired ;i 
food education, attending the public 
Fchools, the Pacific University, and finally- 
graduating from the State Normal School. 
She is also a graduate of the C. L. S. C, 
having read the course after her marriage. 
She likewise completed a course of 
Elocution at the California School of 
Oratory. But being of a quaint and re- 
tiring disposition, all her acquired gifts 
would never have brought her before the 
public had it not been for the natural 
gift of inspirational speaking that came 
to her in October 1SS3. For the four 
years previous she had been living 1 
quiet domestic life in San Francisco, with 
her first husband. 

She was an active member of the 
Howard St. Presbyterian church, and the 
gift of mediumship came to her unasked 
and unsought, with a power that was irre- 
sistible. First one phase and then 
another was developed, as if the invisibles 
were trying to find the gift for which she 
was best adapted. Finally inspirational 
speaking seemed to take the precedence, 







EUDOR \ B. MARCEN. 



EUDORA B. MARCEN 



though some of the early gifts still remain 
with her, and others have since been 
developed. 

Notwithstanding her powerful medium- 
ship, she steadily combatted every effort of 
the invisibles to place her before the 
public until thrown upon her own re- 
sources. Having tried teaching school 
and elocution, she was finally induced, 
through the influence of her seen and 
unseen friends, to take the platform. 

She began her public work at San Jose 
in Febuary,iS87, where she filled a year's 
engagement with the Psychic Society of 
that place, to the pleasure and advance- 
ment of all, her controls giving some of 
the purest and best spiritual truths. 

Most of her work has been done as the 
engaged speaker of various Spiritual 
societies throughout the State. How- 
ever, she has done much good work in 
parlor circles near her native town, where 
a number of congenial ft iends have been 
in the habit of gathering Sunday after- 
noons from house to house and holding 
home circles. At th<-se circles all pos- 
sessing mediumistic powers ^ave of their 
best, and Irom the harmony of the circles, 
much that was given was superior to 
public work. 

She was also one of the speakers of tin- 
State camp meeting held in San Fran- 
cisco in 1889, and of the Summerland 
camp meeting oi 1891. During the 
spring ol [890 she was assistant editor ot 

the Dove, giving tin- overworked editor 
of that excellenl periodical a mu h need 
ed resl The u inter of the 

penl in Massachusetts, where she 
did some quiet work for the cause ol 
Spiritualism, and formed some lasting 
friendships with fellow workers at the 
East. 

In l ) •< ember, (891 , she m u 1 ied her 

! ut husband, but did not in COnse- 

quern e n tire from public life. She has 

tpoken in various puts of the State, 
though most "i h-i time has been ^ivn 



10 labors with her pen, contributing to a 
number of Spiritual periodicals and also 
to the secular press. 

She occasionally gives some beautiful 
inspirational poems, and, when in com- 
pany with her sister, has been able to 
give a few of them to the public, her 
sister writing almost as rapidly as the 
inspired words are uttered. 

One of her present gifts is psychometrv, 
she often giving character readings from 
letters, with advice as to business, health 
etc. Another gift that renders her public 
work very interesting is symbol- reading 
from the platform. After a discourse, 
some of her guides will give fifteen or 
twenty symbols and explanations in as 
many minutes to the entire satisfaction of 
those receiving them. 

Besides her Spiritual work she has 
spoken for the Grange, the Alliance, the 
Woman Suffrage movement, and as a 
speaker for the People's Tarty, which is 
aiming at a higher civilization, the intel- 
lectual and spiritual advancement of the 
laboring classes, and the enfranchise- 
ment of woman — their motto being, 
"equal rights to all; special privileges to 
none." 

Mrs. Marcen is a petite blonde, with 
dark golden hair, and expressive blue 
sparkling with intelligence. To 
unacquainted with this little woman 
it is a surprise to see her holding an 
rice with all tii' ce and elo- 

quence of a magnetic masculine orator. 
inally surprising to those acquainted 

With her quiet retiring disposition, and 

who know how difficult it is foi her 1.. 

Appear in public . To them it is but 

another prool <>i the powei <>i the im is- 

ibles. Those who are a< quainted w ttti 

des, guards and tea* hei . 

know what powerful force 1- upholding 

. a medium for the unfolding 

I spiritual truths and the ad 

ai, ni of .1 refined spiritual life upon the 

-arthlv plane. 



DR. FRANCES C. TREAD WELL. 



Dr. Frances C. Treadwell, nee Hinck- 
ley, formerly of Philadelphia, now at the 
Murphy Building on Market street, was 
born at Walworth, Wayne County, New 
York. 

Her father, who was a captain in the 
war of 1812, was a farmer near Wal- 
worth. Her grandfather was a colonel 
in the Revolutionary War and fought 
for the independence of the American 
Colonies. His granddaughter, a hun- 
dred years later, fought for the recog- 
nition of ladies in the profession of 
dentistry. 

H^r maternal ancestors were French; 
her paternal ancestors English. 

Her mother died when sbe was eight 
years old. Her father having married 
again, she went to her grandparents. 

Her grandmother dying she was left 
alone with her grandfather, but he, 
too, having married again at the age 
of seventy, she determined to start out 
for herself. 

The idea struck her at noon one day 
while she was at school. She had al- 
ways been inclined toward the practice 
of medicine, and she now resolved to 
see what she could do for herself. She 
left school and procured a situation as 
a dressmaker. This business she fol- 
lowed for two years in her native 
country. She then went to Cleveland, 
Ohio, where she had a brother. Here 
she secured a position in a large dress- 
making establishment as an assistant 
fore lady. 

It was her fixed purpose to obtain 
money enough to enable her to study 
medicine. While employed here, one 
of the girls who worked in the house 
was taken with toothache. Miss 



Hinckley took her to a dentist who, in 
extracting the tooth, treated the girl 
with so much roughness and careless- 
ness that the subject of our sketch 
forthwith determined to turn her at- 
tention from medicine to dentistry. 
She applied to all the dental schools, 
such as they were in those days, but 
was every where laughed and sneered 
at. Finally, however, she secured em- 
ployment as office girl in one of these 
dental schools where, it may be said, 
she learned to fill and extract teeth 
almost surreptitiously. 

After remaining at this school about 
a year and a half and using up all her 
money, she was obliged to begin to 
practice. Here her troubles began in 
earnest. She had to have a certificate. 
After much quarreling among the pro- 
fessors of her school, she was awarded 
one. But a general hue and cry was 
raised among the dentists of Cleveland 
against the admission of ladies to the 
profession. Indeed, their dignity was 
so much offended, that Miss Hinckley 
did not dare to commence operations 
in that city. So she procured an out- 
fit, which was not an easy task for one 
in her circumstances, especially when 
we consider that the dealers in dental 
supplies did not care much about stock- 
ing a lady dentist, borrowed a dollar, 
and started for the interior. 

In a week she returned to Cleveland, 
paid for her outfit which had cost fif- 
teen dollars, and had eight or nine 
dollars left. 

These trips were repeated until she 
got on a good financial footing. But 
during this time she was constantly 
railed at, execrated, called a "she" 




DR. PRANCES TRKADWELL 



DR. FRANCES C. TREADWEEL 



219 



dentist, threatened with arrest, and 
admonished by ministers of the gospel. 

In 18o7 she was married to a portrait 
artist, and in company with her hus- 
band, traveled for a year, but her hus- 
band's health and business failing, she 
stopped at Smyrna, Delaware, and 
again resumed the practice of her pro- 
fession. She next went to Delaware 
City, where she remained until 1868 ; 
from there she moved to Norristown. 
Her husband died in 1875. She next 
removed to Philadelphia, where she 
built up a large practice. It was owing 
chiefly to her efforts that female stu- 
dents were admitted to all the dental 
colleges of that city. 

She had one son who received a 
thorough commercial education, and is 
now traveling salesman for one of the 
largest bouses on the Coast. One of 
her brothers came to ( 'aliforuia in early 
times. Her son was also in California, 
and in 1874 slie 3ame to San Francisco 
on a visit. In l vS - Bhe came to ( 'ali- 
foruia a Becond lime, principally on 



account of her health, and in two 
months returned much improved ; but 
her health failing again, she was 
obliged to go abroad, and so came to 
San Francisco again. She may well 
be called the Pioneer Lady Dentist of 
the United States. 

She also took a course in medicine at 
a medical college in Philadelphia, and 
is a learned M. D. as well as a skillful 
dentist. Her career has been one of 
discovery in afield hitherto unexplored 
by women. 

She has fought her way inch by inch 
over this ground, and through all she 
his been as tender, compassionate ami 
charitable as she has been independent 
ami courageous. She has labored earn- 
estly to prove to the world the ability 
of women, trusting the day will soon 
dawn when each woman ami man can 
be weighed in the great scale of human 
justice and not be found wanting. Mis. 
Tread well is an avowed Spiritualist 
and liberal progressive woman. 



JOHN C. BUNDY. 



The following sketch of the life and 
eminent services in behalf of Spiritual- 
ism of Mr. Bundy was prepared by 
Sara A. Underwood and published in 
the Religio Phieosophical Journal 
ot August 20th, 1892. It was afterward 
re-produced in the Carrier Dove with 
a portrait, under the date of Jan. 1893. 

John Curtis Bundy, late editor and pub- 
isher of The Religio Philosophical Jour- 
nal, was born at St. Charles, Kane Co., 
111., about thirty five miles from the city 
of which he, a native son of Illinois, was 
ever loyally proud, and whence on the 
6th of August he was born into the higher 
life. 

He was ushered into earth life on the 
16th of Feburary, 1841, the eldest son of 
Asahel and Betsey Bundy. As a youth 
he, though genial tempered, was quite 
serious minded and of studious habits. 
After leaving the common school of St. 
Charles he was sent at thirteen years of 
age for belter instruction to the Brimmer 
school in Boston, Mass. Later he at- 
tended Phillips Academy at Andover, 
Mass., to prepare to enter Yale College, 
but his health gave way, and he returned 
to his Western home. It was while at 
Andover that he formed an acquaint- 
ance with the eminent writer of psychical 
stories, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, for 
whom he ever cherished an ardent ad- 
miration. 

Although at the breaking out of the 
war of the rebellion but a youth barely 
twenty years of age, yet filled with a pat- 
riotic ardor he at once offered his ser- 
vices in behalf of the Union. 

Soon after his enlistment he was given 
the rank ol Second Lieutenant in Dod- 
son's Independent Cavalry Company. 



Later he was promoted to a Lieutenant 
Colonelship. His military ardor,however, 
was greater than his physical strength, 
and in 1863 he was forced to leave the 
army in order to recuperate his health. 

It was while he was yet in the service, 
on August 19, 1862, that his marriage to 
Miss Mary E. Jones of St. Charles occur- 
red. From childhood they had been 
friends and neighbors> and though both 
were comparatively young for wedlock, 
yet the marriage was from first to last a 
true union of hands, hearts, pursuits 
and interests. Two bright and lovely 
children were born to them, a son and 
daughter, of whom only the latter, Miss 
Gertrude Bundy, remains in earth life, 
the son, George, a fine and beautiful 
boy, having been called to the higher lite 
at the age of seven. 

Soon after his retirement from army- 
lite Mr. Bundy took up the study of law, 
which he gave up to assist his wife's 
father, Mr. S. S. Jones, the founder of 
The Religio-Philosophical Journal, in the 
conduct of his paper. 

Mr. Bundv was brought up in the 
Methodist faith, but desirous always ol 
rinding the truth and with mind open to 
conviction, lie began very early that life 
of investigation and probing for facts for 
which he was conspicuous, and his search 
after proof of continued existence was 
rewarded bv evidences which were to his 
mind indubitable that personality sur- 
vives the dissolution of the physical form, 
and that which men name death is but 
a re-birth into a higher phase of exist- 
ence. Among the most convincing proofs 
of this he considered some that were 
given to him soon after the transition 
of his only and idolized son, but these 



JOHN' C. BUNDV 



22 I 






were too sacred to be often spoken of. 

In 1S77, when by the death of his 
father-in-law, Mr. Bund\', assisted by Mrs. 
Bundy, was called upon to take charge of 
Thejonrnai, he was well fitted both by 
conviction and experience to carry on 
the work of spiritual enlightenment and 
scientific investigation demonstrative of 
psychic truths, to which he was thus 
called, and as Prof. Coues says, to him it 
is mainly due that here in America, at the 
World's Columbian Exposition, there will 
be presented, through the Psychical Con- 
gress, of which Mr. Bundy was chairman, 
a dignified presentation of the scientific 
proofs for belief in immortal life by cul- 
tured and scholarly scientific Spiritual- 
ists aided by the investigators of the 
Societies for Psychical Research. This 
in itself is something worthy of being 
born into this life for. Of the good work 
done lor Spiritualism by Mr. Bundy since 
he took charge of the paper the files of 
The Journal give ample evidence, and 
we leave these to speak for liim in any 
future history of Spiritualism in this and 
in all countries, and refer readers of this 
number to the respect in which he was 
held by the secular pr ss of this city as 
evidence of the worth of his honest work. 

When Mr. Bundy returned from the 
National Editorial Convention held in 
San Francisco in May, where he had 
•nt as a delegate from the Chicago 
Press club, he was far from well, hut he 
kept about until seven weeks b< fore hi-. 
transition, when he entered his of] 
the last time Saturday, I tine 18th, sa>m, 
be was going to ';t. Charles with Mrs 
Bundy for a little vi it, but would 1. 
back on M nday. A week or two latei 
Mr. and Mrs Bundy were anticipating si 

trip to Ann Aibor. Mi< h., to be pi 

at the graduation of their daughter from 
the Mi< higan 1 fniversity. After that event 
it had been arranged that they all should 
take a brief trip to ]•; irope to give theii 
daughter a taste of the woi Id's pleasure 
titer her years of study. Bui alas I even 
bright anticipation was doomed to non 
Fulfillment. ( rathe sam • evening thai h< 
•vent to St. Charles, Mr. Bundy was taken 
"uddenly ill with pleurisj Alter t< 1 



of illness at St. Charles, it was deemed 
best to bring him to his own home in 
Chicago where he could be attended by 
his long-time friend and trusted family 
physician, Dr. T. R. Boynton. Every- 
thing that skill and love could suggest 
was done to save him, but the fiat had 
gone forth, and seven weeks to a day 
from the first attack of decided pain he 
passed away from earthly cares. The 
daughter, who had hoped to give him 
pleasure in witnessing her graduation 
honors, took little comfort in those honors 
and came home as soon as she could gel 
away to take her place by the side of her 
beloved father, assisting faithfully in every 
duty necessary until the last sad hour; and 
his last conscious thought was of her and 
her mother, and his last effort was to 
smile bravely at them both to ease their 
fears as they bent over him ministering to 
his needs. 

At an early stage of Mr. Bandy's illness 
which was ordained to be the pathway 
to his release from eartly cares, a fore- 
warning of that release, it is believed by 
those nearest to him, was vouchsafed. 
" O!" he said to his wife at that time, "If 
I only had strength to tell you of the 
wonderful psychical experiences! hav< 
had since my sickness!— and they are nol 
hallucinations either!" Trusting that he 
would eventually recover, and tearing that 
any detailed recital of any thing wh 
would unduly excite and further weaken 
him, he w 1 ■ ad\ is id to a * ail n 

relating his expei ience, but as h< 
spoke of them in a tone of delighted sur- 
prise, it is pleasant now to think that his 
pathway was brightened by glimp 
the immortal lite. 

At the timeof Mr. Bundy's approach 
to the other side of life's veil, his 1 
sister, Mrs I ran< es Bundy Phillipp 

in ( '<>!' irado, u hither she had gone 

ing health and strength. Though aware 
ot her brothei '• protrai •• d illn< 1 ;he did 

not knOW hoil OUS that illnrss 

was, lmt on the night he passed away she 
iiad two singular psychh al expei i< 
All th<- evenii 1 a remarkable 

sadness and depression •<' 1 mu< h 

s<> that bei loin a 



222 



JOHN C. BUNDY 



party of her friends at the hotel, who asked 
her to share in some social pastime going 
on among them. She went to bed at her 
usual hour and dreamed that Mr. Bundy 
had passed away and that she was present 
at his funeral, many of the particulars of 
which her dream foretold correctly; for 
instance, in her dream she heard sung 
distinctly one of the musical selections 
rendered by Miss McDonald at the ser- 
vices of St. Charles, viz, "Lead, Kind]} 
Light." When she arose next morning 
she glanced at the clock in her room for 
the time, and discovered that it had 
stopped. She examined it to find the 
reason for its stopping, but could find 
none. This fact and her dream so wor- 
ried her that, though she had promised 
and intended to accompany a party into 
the mountains for a pleasure trip that 
morning, she felt so sure that a telegram 
with bad news was coming for her that 
she declined going, and remained at the 
hotel waiting for the news which came 
before noon. The telegram gave the 
hour when her brother departed, and the 
time at which the clock stopped was the 
same hour, allowing for the difference 
between Colorado and Chicago time. 

Another interesting incident occurred 
in The Journal office a few days previous 
to Mr. Bundy's change. Early in the 
day, when the office boy threw open the 
windows near the desk which for so 
long had been occupied by the editor of 
The Journal, a sparrow flew in from out 
of doors and perched itself calmly on the 
desk of the sick man and hopped about 
contentedly, apparently oblivious of the 
boy's presence. And when, an hour or 
two later, the acting editor accompanied 
by a lady came into the room, the sparrow 
still hopped about the desk, peering into 
this pigeon hole and that, with a strange 
disregard for their presence, though 
eluding their touch whenever they at- 
tempted to catch it. To the lady's mind 
was recalled a superstition of her de- 
parted mother that the coming of a bird 
like that tamely into any room or house 
was the portent of a death, and she re- 
membered an instance which had fixed 



the superstition in her mind when the 
portent came true, though no one was 
ill at the time of the bird's coming. Or 
course it was all nonsense, still she would 
rather the bird would go out. But 
though once or twice it flzw from the desk 
to the ledge of the open window, it kept 
its perch preferably on Mr. Bundy's desk, 
finally crawling away into the furtherest 
recess of one of the pigeon holes, where 
it remained most of the day out of sight, 
but at intervals startling the visitors, who 
called to inquire as to Mr. Bundy's con- 
dition, by a loud and wholly unexpected 
chirp. When the office boy closed 
the rooms in the evening, fearing tl e 
bird might come to some harm if left ail 
night, he caught it and attempted to put 
it outside the window, but twice it flew 
back, and it was only by quickly closing 
the window that at last he succeeded in 
getting rid 01 it. It never returned. 

Another sister, who was in New York 
at the time her brother passed away, 
writes that on that night she dreamed 
that Mrs. Bundy came to her, and told 
her "John's sufferings are over." His 
mother, who was at the time ill, also had 
a strange psychical experience that same 
night concerning her son. 

THE FUNERAL. 

The arrangements for the funeral of 
Mr. Bundy were planned and carried out 
by Mrs. Bundy in beautiful harmony with 
the higher spiritual philosophy in which 
they both fully believed. Death, as pop- 
ularly thought of, had not occured, but 
only the natural evolution of a soul in one 
of the phases of progress toward higher 
planes of existence. So mourning em- 
blems could not be in place, and instead 
of the usual "crape at the door," a beau- 
tiful spray of white flowers held together 
by knots of white ribbon spoke of the 
departure of the soul to spheres of purer 
life and light. 

Mis. Bundy gratefully declined to ac- 
cede to the expressed wishes of many 
friends for some public manifestation ot 
the general sorrow over her husband's 
departure, and made the funeral as pi i- 



JOHN C. BUNDY 






vate as possible under the circumstances. 
But, as was befitting, a few personal 
friends and representatives of the leading 
newspapers of Chicago attended the ser- 
vices at his home on the morning of Mon- 
day August 8th 

Although, in the published notice ot 
Mr. Bundy's departure, Mrs Bundy had 
requested that no flowers be sent, yet 
that could not wholly prevent some of 
their friends from expressing by such 
gifts a tender tribute of their great regard 
for him, and in every room, both at his 
own home in Chicago and at that home 
in St. Charles - whence his body was borne 
to its last resting place, vases, filled with 
fragrant, many-hued Mowers, everywhere 
sent forth greetings of cheer and hope to 
all present. The Loyal Legion, of which 
Mr. Bundy was an honored member, sent 
a pillow of flowers with its emblematic 
rosette in the centre, and at the particular 
request of that association its mortuary 
flag was draped about the casket. The 
Chicago Press club sent a beautiful floral 
piece — an open book. A spray of- fifty- 
one roses, presented by Mrs. Bundy's 
sister, Mrs. R. B. Farson, ofSt. Charles, 
and arranged by Miss Gertrude Bundy, 
lay upon the casket representing the 
years of his earth life. The roses were 
bedewed with the tears which silently 
stole from the daughter's eyes as she 
arranged this tribute to a parent deeply 
beloved, but they were not tear^ ol hope- 
less sorrow, fcr she said, as she looked 



at the unresponsive passive features from 
which the light of love had fled, "Oh, 
indeed, I cannot feel in the least that that 
is papa! I feel that he is safe and happy 
in some other form in which he can still 
communicate with us!" On this assur- 
ance she did not clothe herself in gar- 
ments of mourning, but wore a dress of 
pure white such as her father would prefer 
to see her arrayed in. Indeed none of 
the sorrowing friends, who believed that 
their dear one had only passed through 
one of life's portals to gain stronger pow- 
ers, donned the dismal garments of crepe 
such as are usually associated with funeral 
rites, and those who took part in the ex- 
ercises of the ocassion were relatives and 
friends whom he would at any time have 
been glad to welcome to his home. Miss 
Bessie McDonald the sweet singer, who 
paid the tributes of song to her friend, 
was the daughter of an old-time friend 
and neighbor of Mr. Bundy's boyhood. 
Before noon, accompanied by relatives 
and friends, the body was carried to the 
train and taken to St. Charles, where, in 
the home in which Mrs. Bundy was born, 
in which her marriage occured, and 
where ) is last illness came upon him, 
another service was held in behalf of 
Mr. Bundy's aged parents and Mrs. Bun- 
dy's mother, Mrs. Jones, to whom he was 
as de ii' as it" he were her own son. Many 
other relatives were present, among them 
his sister ami brother-in law, .Mr. and 
Mis. Phillipps, of Bloomington. III. 



E. D. BABBITT. 



Dr, Babbitt was born in Hamden, New 
York, February i, 182S. His father 
was the Rev. Samuel T. Babbitt; his 
grand-father, Rev. Abner Smith, grad- 
uated at Harvard University in 1770. On 
his mother's side he was descended from 
the first Earl of iShaftsbury, the Lord 
High Chancellor of England. For many 
years of his earlier life he was engaged 
as a teacher in private seminaries or in 
colleges. For a quarter of a century he 
was an earnest worker in the church and 
battled against the claims of Spiritualism. 
Twenty-five years ago he was induced to 
visit Mrs. Staats of New York, a favorite 
medium of Judge Edmonds and received 
an overwhelming array of tests and 
proofs of communion with loved one gone 
before. This constituted a new era in his 
life, a period on the one hand of great 
joy and realization that the dear ones 
still lived and loved, and that light from 
the diviner world rould at last be receiv- 
ed direct, while on the other hand it was 
a period of agony to feel that so many 
precious religious hopes and associations 
and idols had to be shattered. He soon 
came out into clear light, however, and 
felt that he had been spiritually starving 
all his life for want of a knowledge of 
the higher world and the sublime truths 
of immortality. A joy unspeak able 
came to him as he found his mediumistic 
nature could be developed so that he was 
able to see the glories of the interior uni- 
verse, and learn the mysteries of being 
from grandly illuminated souls. 

In 1874, the doctor published his 
Health Guide, several editions of which 
have been sold in this and other coun- 
tries. 

In 1875-6, when General Pleasonton's 
work on "Blue and White Light." was 



producing a sensation, the doctor, per- 
ceiving its many loose statements and its 
lack of scientific occuracy, felt thai there 
should be a work on light and color 
founded on absolute principles; but the 
whole scientific v\orld was ignorant of 
basic principles — could not tell what 
light really is, or heat or electricity or 
magnetism or chemical force or force of 
any kind and were in the habit of remark- 
ing that these matters were "doubtless 
beyond human power ever to under- 
stand." Then it was, that under the in- 
fluence of a wonderfully advanced spirit 
who was able to see actual atoms both 
large and small, he was made to reason 
out their very form and working, to see 
just how the great underlying forces of 
the world are developed and to open 
up into clear light a multitude of myster- 
ies. Among other things, the processes 
of chemical affinity were clearly ascer- 
tained, and as this is the great formula- 
ting principle of the universe, he deems 
it the most important of all laws, and de- 
clares that by its aid vision, smell, taste, 
respiration, pulsation and even mental 
and psychic forces are made possible, 
while in the whole material world it is the 
harmonizing and potentizing principle. 
He discovered also that color is the 
measure of the style of force in every de- 
partment of the world and that the chem- 
ical and therapeutical character of not 
only the rays of sunlight but of all other 
objects may be determined by their color. 
Not only by a great number of experi- 
ments with colored rays of light but by 
the color potency of drugs as shown by 
the spectroscope and proved by medical 
practice has he established this fact. 1 lis 
large work, "Principles of Light and 
Color," published in 1878, explains the 




DR. B. D. BABBITT 



E. D. BABBITT 



2 5 



laws of all fine forces, establishes the 
new science of Chromopathy, and by a 
series of handsome colored plates shows 
the terrestrial color forces as seen by the 
clairvoyant eye, also the invisible radia- 
tions from the human head which give 
the very soul of character, and demon- 
strate the fact that even mental and 
psychic forces work on the principle of 
chemical affinity, another proof that unitv 
of laws rules in both the visible and in- 
visible world. A philosophical journal 
of France speaks of this work as follows: 

"This extraordinary work commends 
itself to the attention of all who are in- 
terested in science and philosophy 

It recalls the celebrated discourse where 
Clausius has been able to deduce from 
the relationship of light and electricity, 
the unity of force in the universe. The 
Principles of Light should, then, be for 
savants a key which enables them to pen- 
etrate to the very secrets of substance. 
It is indeed that which commends this 
book, compared with which the bold 
efforts of the savant, Crookes, seem but 

as brilliant first steps We give all 

gratitude to Mr. Babbitt, for having con- 
secrated with so much success his high 
science, who outdoes the genius even of 
a Pascal, inasmuch as that does not re- 
veal the sublime harmonies taught in this 
book, and we greatly desire that a 
French translation may soon spread 
before us these amazing i% Principles of 
Light "in/ ( blor." 

It may be stated that Mme. I'-maitre 
ofFran< e is now translating this work. 

The Rev. Walter W. Mantel!, ;i medi- 
cal scientist as well as a clergyman, of 
Melbourne, Australia, speaks as follows: 
"I have been tor some time a careful and 
enthusiastic student of the system of 
therapeutics ol whi< h you are the dis cov- 
erer. I have proved its immense value 
iu the cure of disease, I firmly be- 

lieve your discoveries are th<- most im- 
portant ever mad--." 

Dr. Babbitt's "Philosophy of Cure' 1 has 
been received with equal favor with the 
"Principles of Light and ( lolor." An- 
other work called ''Religion" i--, in the 



words of Dr. O. O. Stoddard, of Phila- 
delphia, "a most beautiful and glorious 
gospel. If all could be led to believe in 
such a gospel, the world would be almost 
infinitely better than it is now." 

His last work called "Health and 
Power" is a little pocket affair; gives 
natural methods for the cure of several 
diseases which have usually been consid- 
ered incurable. 

The doctor has for some time had the 
manuscript of a work on hand on "Mar- 
riage, Stirpiculture, Social Upbuilding," 
etc., which some philanthropic soul 
should be glad to help him issue. We 
learn that it covers some new and won- 
derful ground including the very philoso- 
phy of life itself, the mysteries of sexual 
development, the ante-natal and post- 
natal ennoblement of the race. etc. The 
cost of an edition will be about $800. 

Before closing this article we must 
speak of Dr. Babbitt's Institution for the 
inculcation of this higher science of life 
and a more refined system of therapeu- 
tics, including chromopathy, or healing 
by light and color, electricity, vital mag- 
netism, massage, mind cure, the curative 
use of water, air, earth, etc., the outlines 

of anatomy, physiology and pathology to 

gethei with basic principles. For many 
years the institution has borne the name 

of the New York College of Magnetics 

and has had a charter granted under the 

laws of New York State; but 

a late lev, enacted under the inachi- 
na'ions and money of some rich old in- 
stitutions that have wished to monopolize 
matters, forbids the confering of <!• 

pting by colleges possessing re- 
sources to the amount of half a million 

dollars. On account of this law, one ol 

ntS visited his institution 
and although having a favorable impres- 
sion declared that the charter would have 
to be revoked unless the 1 infer- 

ring power w is ommitted from die diplo- 
Dr. F. ( ». Weh h, a pn iminent 
York physician, wh lent ol 

his Board <»! Trustees, w rote such wools 
as these to the regents ol Albanj 
"I have know n 1 >i 1 I » 1; ibbitl .1 life- 



226 



E. I). BABBITT 



time. He has made most important sci- 
entific discoveries. As soon as these 
truths become known every college in 
the land will gladly claim a department 
in which these discoveries may be ex- 
plained." 

Another of the trustees, Mr. J. W. 
Currier, went to Albany, and stirred the 
regents with his eloquence in behalf of 
the institution. He showed them that 
the College of Magnetics was making a 
new era in curative knowledge and be- 
coming internatioral, having had stu- 
dents in four continents, England, France, 
Germany, Spain, India, Australia, etc., 
as well as the United States being enthu- 
siastically represented by them. "If you 
shall vote against this institution," said 
he, "and make money rather than science 
the test of a college, it will be the shame 
ol the State." 



The regents spoke well of the college 
but as the law was absolutely definite in 
the matter they had no power to vote in 
its favor. 

Dr. Babbitt then got a full charter un- 
der the laws of New Jersey officered with 
a very superior Board of Trustees, 
changed the name of his institution to 
College of Fine Forces and removed it 
and his family to the beautiful suburban 
city of East Orange, New Jersey, his ad- 
dress being 5 Pulaski Street, East 
Orange, which is ten miles from New 
York. He continues to confer the de- 
gree of D. M. or Doctor of Magnetics, 
upon his graduates. By aid of a series of 
printed questions covering the whole 
course of study and the proper books, 
students who cannot leave their homes 
can take the full course and degree by 
correspondence. 




F. A. DAVIS. 



FRANKLIN A. DAVIS 



The subject of this briet sketch was 
born in the town of Milton, eight miles 
south of Boston, Mass. When about 
twenty-one years of age lie left his native 
State to seek his fortune in Australia. At 
this time wonderful accounts of the mar- 
velous wealth of that country, and the 
easy road to fortune it offered to the man 
of enterprise and adventure, had spread 
over the country, and many were induced 
to try its realities. After spending two 
years in Australia. Mr. Davis sailed for 
San Francisco, where he arrived in 1 86 1 . 
He soon engaged in the business of 
wool buying, in which he was very suc- 
cessful. As prosperity smiled upon him 
he shared her smiles with others. No 
appeal for help was passed by unheeded; 
and many comforts found their way into 
homes of poverty and distress, where 
they had hitherto been strangers. Mr. 
Davis is not one of those pharisaical 
specimens of humanity who "give gifts 
in public that they may be seen of men " 
or proclaim their charities through the 
public press in order to obtain the praise 
and adulation of the people. On the 
contrary, he is quiet, reticent and retir- 
ing, preferring to follow the injunction of 
Scripture, " Let not thy left hand know 
what thy right hand doeth." He i^ 
a Staunch Spiritualist, a great reader 
and thinker. Mr. Davis has o ten 
been heard to remark that he would go 
much farther to see a sermon practiced 
than he would to hear one preached; 
that there is too much talking and too 
little acting among those professing to 

walk in the light ol Truth. How much 

might be accomplished for humanity 
could those who have an abundance <>t 

this world's goods be induced to follow 
the noble example of this man whose life 



is dedicated to such sacreU service; refus- 
ing thanks, but always thanking his 
beloved spirit friends for rendering him 
serviceable, and for sustaining him in his 
efforts to practically demonstrate the true 
Christ principle. 

We cannot more fitly close this meager 
sketch than by giving a poem from the 
pen of " Lupa," the sweet singer whose 
plaintive notes have many times awak- 
ened responsive echoes from the sad 
hearts she has comforted. 

friendship's offering TO K. A. DAVIS. 

Where the waves of the wild Atlantic 

Ever beat against the shore, 
On the coast where the Pilgrims landed, 

In a century gone before, 
Where the blue hills guard the ocean 

And the men who sail in ships, 
While they see their steadfast summits, 

Hold thanksgiving on their lips — 

There were subtle forces gathering 
From the powers in air and earth, 

There were circling bands angelic, 
And at last a human birth. 

It was only the same old story, 
Ever new and wondrous strange, 

How the body caught the spnit, 
With the years of earth to change. 

All the faith of the Pilgrim Mothers, 

All their hope of a better lite, 

All the bravery ( .f tin- Fathers, 
Through those 'mi i en yeai - "t Bti 

All the long-sustained resistance 
That has made this natii »n li 

All the soul*entran< ing beauty 
( >i Wu England flower and tree, 

Tin- aspiring, snow -< app< d mountain 
And mystei ious forest w ild, 

\\'<nt to mould the glow nig nature 

( )f this little, laugh in? « hild, 



228 



FRANKLIN A. DAVIS. 



While a practical endeavor, 

Joined with love of human kind, 

Born of soil and rugged climate, 

Formed and taught the man we find. 

In the years of youthful manhood, 

Sailing toward the setting sun, 
Theie to find his El Dorado, 

Where the East and West seem one. 
Many years he's lived to bless us, 

With a life that makes no sound, 
Never noisy tongue proclaiming 

When or where his gifts are found. 

E'en while gazing on these features, 
You know not, vou cannot guess, 
All the power which his spirit 



Holds to stimulate and bless; 
All the cheerful, hearty giving, 

All the strong and helpful tones, 
All the happy, earnest living 

That have made our friend our own. 

Thus we offer friendship's tribute, 

Wishing not for lengthened life — 
'Twill be his without my asking ; 

Not for joy — 'twill come, I know ; 
Not for good — he draws it to him, 

His own nature wills it so — 
But that we for long, may linger 

Near the path he walks to bless, 
And may share his warmth and sunlight. 

"May his shadow ne'er grow less." 












AUTHOR'S ALBUM. 

INTRODUCTION. 



Acting upon the advice, and in response to the earnest request of 
highly esteemed friends, and for the purpose of giving greater variety to 
the contents of this book, some of the biographical sketches originally 
intended for these pages have been transferred to Volume II, which is 
now in course of preparation, and the space is given to extracts from my 
own published and unpublished writings. Since deciding upon this 
course, I have hurriedly gleaned here and there a few of the thoughts 
that have been given me by my spirit instructors. Some are from ad- 
dresses delivered at various times; some are from the editorial pages of the 
Carrier Dove \ and others have been given at our private home seances; 
but whatever of merit any or all of them possess is directly attributable to 
the intelligences who inspire their expression through my imperfect 
mediumship. I have not the conceit or egotism to claim for them supe- 
rior worth or excellence; but such as they are, they have been freely 
given me — although feebly and imperfectly transcribed. I deeply and 
consciously realize how impossible it is to depict in material language 
the beautiful realities of the spiritual world, or portray its exquisite love- 
liness and magnificence, as revealed to the clairvoyant vision ol the spir- 
itual seer, or give voice to its harmonies which sweep in waves of melody 
through the receptively attuned soul. But, il through these dim pic- 
tures, these faint whisperings from the spirit side, one human being, 
hungering and thirsting for the divine reveal men ts of the beavenlj 
spheres, will be enabled to catch even faint glimpses oi the hidden gl< 

then will the writer feel re] aid a thousandfold. 

JULIA SCHLESINGER. 



MEDIUMSHIP. 



During many years of study and obser- 
vation as an editor, an honest investigator, 
and searcher for truth, I have come to 
the conclusion that mediumship is a diffi- 
cult problem to solve. Some speakers 
can discourse very learnedly, and some 
writers explain the entire subject, from 
the tin}- rap up to the most marvelous 
materializations; and yet when the sum 
total of their practical knowledge is 
reached, it can be put in a nutshell. So 
far as observation and experience (which, 
as Patrick Henry said, is the only lamp 
by which my feet are guided), can avail 
in arriving at correct conclusions touch- 
ing any subject, the decision reached is 
that mediumship is universal as man- 
kind. It is inherent in all, and suscept- 
ible of cultivation, although possessed by 
some in more marked degree than by oth- 
ers. .Many highly mediumistie individuals 
cannot determine to what extent they 
are the agents, instruments, or mouth- 
pieces of the unseen intelligences of the 
spirit world. They live in the spiritual 
to such a degree, are so closely allied to 
angelic life, are so nearly "one with the 
father" that the light from the Divine- 
Source illumines them; they are recept- 
ive to heavenly harmonics, grand truths 
are voiced to a listening world; and ten- 
der messages from loving angels are 

wafted to the sad and sorrowing; and 
yet these same grand, white souls could 
not " give a test " under any Conditions. 
It is impossible to "draw the line" 
ami set the stakes where the conscious 
volition of the medium ends, and the 

independent, perfect control or manifesta- 
tion ol the spirit begins. The two must 
of necessity be somewhat blended, and 

the manifestations partake in a measure 

of the medium's own individuality. 

Public mediums .ire the open doorways 

through whom spirits of all degrees of in 
telligence, good, bad, and indifferent, 



throng, and pass to communicate with 
earthly friends. Dying has not trans- 
formed these departed ones into angels 
of wisdom, purity, or goodness, and they 
return, many times, still holding the er- 
roneous views they held while in earth 
life, until time and experience in spirit 
life shall have wrought a change. The 
more sensitive the medium the more read- 
ily is he or she controlled by these various 
intelligences, who for the time impress 
their personality upon the psvehics to 
such an extent that they are transformed 
and transfigured into the semblance of 
the spirit controlling them. Instances 
are known where refined and sensitive 
women have, under such influence, mo- 
mentarily assumed the manner and char- 
acteristics of the ruffian, using profane 
language, asking for intoxicants and 
tobacco. Where the laws governing 
these various phenomena are not under- 
stood, the result of yielding to the dif- 
ferent spirits who Seek access to undevel- 
oped mediums is often disastrous, and 
ends in obsession or insanity. Although 

such extreme cases are comparatively 

few, still such results in modified form 

are quite common and all manner <•! 
idiosyncrasies an- manifested and di nom- 
inated by these deceiving, ignorant spir- 
it truths emanating from ad- 
vanced minds. 

Mediums, oi all persons, should avoid 
overtaxation; for in the depleted 
ditions that follow, the sensitive b< 
the easy \ ictim ol obsessing influ 
who gain control for the purpose ol 
ifying appetites and desires that have 

not b( rOWU in their biiel spirit 

existence. Man\ such w recks are 
along the shores (.1 Time since the 

i| Modei n Spii itualism cum 
ing in, that should warn mediums of 
their dangerand guide them in tin 
mis 1 1 \ 11 it in i ■■ I irated 



232 



MEDIUMSHIP. 



mediums are examples of this truth. 
Brilliant and meteor-like their medium- 
ship began, and ended in the darkness of 
night through the obsessing influences 
that doubtless first gained control and 
ascendency, through the constant subor- 
dination of the medium's own mentality 
and absorption of the vital forces by the 
many spirits constantly controlling their 
organisms, until the power of resistance 
was nullified to such degree as to leave 
them despoiled of individuality and self- 
control. 

Just here is where the greatest caution 
should be exercised, and the admonition 
to try the spirits and see whether they 
are good or evil should be strictly fol- 
lowed out. " By their fruits ye shall 
know them"; and if their teachings 
and influence upon the lives of those 
whom they control and those they come 
in contact with is of a refining, elevating 
nature, inciting to pure and noble lives, 
then can they be safely trusted as guides 
and inspirers. 

Truth is more desirable than all else, 
and should be gladly received from what- 
ever source it may come. But no one 
should stultify reason and intelligence 
and accept as truth anything that is not 
susceptible of scientific demonstration. 
It were as well to go down in the dark- 
ness of past ignorance and superstition 
as to follow a will-o'-the-wisp, darting 
hither and thither, leading into mire and 
marshes, over quaking bogs and slippery 
places, with no steady light or guiding 
hand. 

When a medium will stand before an 
intelligent audience and discourse for 
an hour or more, jingling words together 
like so man)' pennies in a boy's pocket, 
and leaving the audience mystified and 
in doubt as to the subject of the lecture, 
without a single idea or thought to take 
home with them, and the whole farce 
ended with the announcement that Soc- 
rates, Plato, or some more modern orator 
such as Henry Ward Beecher, has been 
the controlling intelligence, the effect is 
anything but pleasant and inspiring. 
Such mediums are the innocent dupes of 



spirits as ignorant as themselves and 
need the education and training of a 
spiritual kindergarten before going out 
into the world with collegiate honors 
and credentials. 

Had the)' or their friends " tried the 
spirits" they would not have accepted 
high sounding names as the guarantee of 
wisdom, but rather judged the source by 
what emanated from it. 

The wisest and most observing cannot 
discriminate, and draw the line with ex- 
actitude separating true, genuine spirit 
impression and influence from the intel- 
ligent operation of the individual's own 
mentality. How is it possible to deter- 
mine how much or how little of what 
purports to come from disembodied in- 
telligences really emanates from that 
source ? 

On the other hand, how can it be de- 
termined to what extent each and all 
are acted upon by the great invisible 
forces of the unseen universe ? May not 
all be mediums through whom some 
spirit or spirits are endeavoring to carry 
out their own ideas of reforming the 
world ? These and many other questions 
press upon the attention of the occult 
student for reply; and until they can 
be truthfully and scientifically answered 
and demonstrated it is the part of wisdom 
to remain an observer and student of 
Nature's great silent, wonderful forces, as 
manifested in all the various phenomena 
of life, and their influence over the lives 
and actions of men. 

The mistaken idea that has prevailed 
to a large extent among spiritualists that 
mediumship was a "special gift of God " 
to a favored few, has been the source of 
much evil through the medium worship 
that has been the bane and curse of many 
possessing these powers in greater de- 
gree than others. So common has been 
the notion that a medium was a superior 
being, a sort of oracle whose behests 
were to be obeyed, and whose statements 
were considered infallible, that many of 
the best instruments who were selected by 
the spirit world when innocent and un- 
pretentious, became arrogant, proud, and 



MEDIUMSHIP. 



233 



conceited and looked with contempt upon 
their fawning flatterers. When the mind 
becomes disabused of these notions and 
all individuals are regarded as having 
attributes and powers in common, al- 
though some may be more highly devel- 
oped than others in certain directions, 
much of the nonsense attached to the 
discussion of mediumship will cease. 
As there are highly gifted poets, musi- 
cians, artists, inventors, orators, authors 
and so on through all the great variety 
of talents displayed by different individ- 
uals, so, also, are there seers, prophets, 
and test mediums. But these powers are 
common to all. Because Patti can sing 
divinely she should not be designated as 
a special favorite of the Almighty, but 
rather as one whose gift of song has been 
cultivated to a higher state of perfection 
than others. Some of the most highly 
gifted mediums the world has ever 
known have been unconscious instru- 
ments in the hand> of the angels. Their 
lives have been so pure, their every 
thought and aspiration so lofty and en- 
nobling, that they have unconsciously 
dwelt in the vestibule of the spiritual 
world and become the recipientsof its wis- 



dom, love, and guidance. Its harmonies 
have been voiced in their songs; its ten- 
derness expressed in their deeds of love; 
its grandeur and beauty manifested in 
lives of devotion to truth and humanity. 
Such grand souls may never be desig- 
nated as spiritual mediums, yet the man 
tie of the angels more surely envelopes 
them than it does the " wonderful me- 
dium " through whose instrumentality 
tables may be made to dance, or bells 
rung, or any other of the physical phe- 
nomena produced which are considered 
so desirable. To those, then, who seek 
the development of mediumship, the first 
step to be taken is to live lives of such 
perfect sweetness and love as will attract 
to you the bright and beautiful, the good 
and true, wherever in the great universe 
it may be found; and as surely as the 
earth draws the refreshing rain unto its 
bosom and the flowers receive the gentle 
dew, so will you draw unto yourselves 
spirits of wisdom and power who will aid 
and assist you in your earthly labors of 
love, even though you may never receive 
a visible sign or outward token of the 
presence of these heavenly messengers. 






A TWILIGHT MESSAGE. 



1 wandered forth at Btinael 
When tlif weary day was done, 

For 1 1 iy BOUl was I inged willi Bad DPI 

\inl I longed t<> be alone; 
With the tender skies above me, 

And the quiel earl b below, 
I could watch t be coming darkness, 

A ml 1 be fading daylight go. 



\> I mused upon the picture 
Thai around aboul me lay, 

I r>ould feel a gentle pr< n 
Ami I beard 



234 A TWILIGHT MESSAGE. 

11 Life, my child, may well be likened 
To the day and night of earth, 

Half of darkness, half of daylight, 
From the very hour of birth. 

" When the sunshine is the brightest 

Suddenly will storms arise, 
And the clouds of inky blackness 

Darken all the summer skies; 
Dazzling lightning, heavy thunder, 

And the fiercely beating rain, 
Fill the timid heart with wonder 

And the homeless ones with pain. 

" But the tempest soon is over, 

And the sweetly smiling sun, 
Like a tender, wooing lover, 

Kisses now the timid one, 
Bringing faith, and hope and courage 

Where was doubting, grief and fears, 
Filling fainting hearts with gladness, 

Giving peace in place of tears. 

When this life seems dark, and shadows 

Hide the golden light of day, 
Loving spirits linger near you, 

Angel hands wipe tears away; 
And their sweet, inspiring presence 

Oft dispels the shade and gloom 
Causing buds of hope and promise 

In your weary lives to bloom. 

Then, dear one, be hopeful, trusting, 

Always looking toward the light, 
For there's just as much of daytime 

As there ever is of night; 
Stars shine brightest when 'tis darkest — 

Stars of truth will light the way 
To the world of summer sunshine 

Where is never-ending day. 



THOMAS PAINE. 



[Extracts from address delivered at the Paine Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco, January 
29, 189?.] 



Those who admire Thomas Paine for 
his bravery, his courage in the expression 
of his convictions in a time when to dis- 
sent from the old established customs 
was to call down upon the dissenter the 
anathemas of the whole religious world, 
can best express their admiration at:d ap- 
preciation by emulating his example and 
following where his brave spirit led the 
way, even though it brings the persecu- 
tion and ostracism of the bigots of to-day 
as it did in those trying times, when, 
with our beloved Washington, he 
struggled for the Rights of Man, the Age 
of Reason and Common Sense, which he 
thought would be evolved from the Great 
Crisis then pending and upon the result of 
which depended the success of the Ameri- 
can Colonies and the inauguration of a 
reign of peace and religious liberty the 
world had never before dreamed of. We, 
of to-day, who rejoice in the name Lib- 
eral will also do well to remember the 
words of our hero concerning the right 
of every man to his opinion, however 
different it might be from our own. He 
said: "lie who denies to another the 
right makes a slave of himself to his 
present opinion, because he precludes 
himself the right of changing it." It is 
well to avoid the error of becoming 
illiberal liberals; many good nun and 
women an- just as Liberal as yon upon all 

subjects — religions, social, and political, 

who claim they have gone one step 
ahead they have (land even to peep 
into futurity and claim they Bee BOme 
thing beyond that all can not as yet Bee; 

but because they have done this they 

should not be ridiculed by those who 

have not looked into the ICOpe 

of clairvoyance that reveals still another 

world beyond this. One world at a time 

is sufficient for most of as, and even that 

may giow wearisome to thOBC who know 
not rest or comfort, hut are compelled 



from day to day to toil like beasts of 
burden for the privilege of simply exist- 
ing, without any of those things that en- 
hance and beautify life or make it worth 
living. 

In writing upon this subject of immor- 
tality, Thomas Paine said, "The belief of 
a future state is a rational belief, founded 
upon facts visible in the creation; for it 
is not more difficult to believe that we 
shall exist hereafter in a better state and 
form than at present, than that a worm 
should become a butterfly and quit the 
dunghill for the atmosphere, if we did 
not know it as a fact. The most beauti- 
ful parts of creation to our eye are the 
winged insects, and they are not so 
originally. They acquire that form and 
that inimitable brilliancy by successive 
changes. The slow and creeping cater- 
pillar-worm of to-day passes in a few 
days to a torpid figure and a state resem- 
bling death; and in the next change 
comes forth in all the miniature magnifi- 
cence of life, a splendid butterfly. No 
resemblance of the former creature re- 
mains; everything is changed; all his 
powers are new and life is to him a new 
thing." 

If Thos. Paine were living to-day, we 

would say he was a Progressive Spiritual- 
ist 

The time is fast approaching when all 
who have outgrown tin- old BUpei stit ions 
Of past a^es will he called upon to stand 

unitedly for liberty, The Church "I" 
Rome and all her Protestant children 
are daily drawing the lines 1 
closei daily forcing their old d< gmas to 
the front and compelling at U 
submission on the part of American citi- 
zens to the domination of rclie.io\: 

ots in matters laws 

are being forced upon ns, and 1 1 

tion in some Btat now punished 

by tines and imprisonment In 



236 



THOMAS PAINE. 



years — if we do not awake to the danger 
— we shall see the efforts of the National 
Reform Association, the W. C. T. U., and 
other organizations, crowned with suc- 
cess, and have incorporated into the 
Magna Charta of our liberties — the Con- 
stitution of these United States — a clause 
recognizing Jesus Christ as the ruler of 
nations and our acknowledged head and 
leader. How think you will it fare with 
us then ? How many free thinkers will 
dare assemble as we are assembled here 
to-night to do honor to the memory of 
the man who called him " a man only," 
whom they would have as our "divine 
head" and "ruler of nations." and who 
said " I believe in one God and no more," 
thus emphatically repudiating the di- 
vini'y of Jesus. Do you think we would 
be allowed to so transgress the laws of 
the land as to openly deny allegiance to 
our recognized ruler? Many may think 
that danger afar off, but they who so 
think must be blind to the progress being 
made in the direction outlined. 

We who so admire Thomas Paine would 
do well to benefit by the truths he taught 
by incorporating them into our daily life 
work. We see on every hand the evils 
that have grown like noxious weeds from 
the seeds of ignorance and superstition. 
We see truth naked and cast out, while 
error sits clothed and crowned in the 
high places of earth. We see on every 
hand wrongs that need to be redressed, 
customs and laws tyrannical and unjust 
that should be changed. We see the op- 
pression of the many by the few. We see 
the poor pittance wrung from the hands of 
toilers to help build magnificent cathe- 
drals for the worship of an unknown 
God, and to feast the smooth-tongued 
priest, who, for a "consideration," will 
give passports to heaven to the most 
hardened sinner. It is time liberals were 
awake and doingsomething to counteract 
the tendency to drift with the old theo- 
logical current and forget the duties of 
the present life and present time in the 
preparation for a life to come. We want 
heaven here and now. We want to see 



every poor little waif that drifts into life 
secured in its rightful inheritance with 
food, clothes, and the shelter and protec- 
tion of home. We would have ever}' little 
cold, hungry, ragged child that to-night 
is selling papers, matches, or pencils in 
our streets, warmed, fed, and clothed, 
and, with the coming of to-morrow, 
started in a new life and given a taste of 
that heaven Christians are looking for- 
ward to, where all tears shall be wiped 
away, and there shall be no more sorrow 
or crying. 

Have we not something to do, some- 
thing to live for, something to work for 
when the masses of humanity are home- 
less and clothed in rags? Nature has 
been so bountiful that even the weakest 
and meanest of all living things has been 
provided for. Man alone has permitted 
himself to be defrauded and enslaved. 
The earth and the fulness thereof is 
his to appropriate and enjoy when he 
shall have grown out of the conditions 
that have retarded his development and 
progress, and of these conditions and 
obstacles the greatest of all has been the 
incubus called revealed religion. Thomas 
Paine said: "It is incumbent on everj T 
man who wishes to lessen the catalogue 
of artificial miseries, and remove the 
cause that has sown persecutions thick 
among mankind, to expel all idea of re- 
vealed religion as a dangerous heresy 
and fraud. As an engine of power it 
serves the purpose of despotism; as a 
means of wealth, the avarice of priests; 
but so far as respects the good of man in 
general, it leads to nothing here or here- 
after. When opinions are free, truth 
will finally and powerfully prevail." 

Those were brave words that none but 
a brave man could utter; and even to day 
their repetition on the public rostrum is 
certain to excite feelings of hatred in the 
hearts of many. But fir myself I would 
rather take my chances in the next 
world beside the great noble soul of 
Thomas Paine than with that of any 
crowned and mitred Pope that ever trod 
the earth or sat upon a Papal throne. 



ASPIRATION. 



Dear Spirit, thou who dost attend 
My daily steps where'er they wend, 
Thou whom I call my angel guide- 
Who, ever faithful by my side 
Through weal or woe, through good or ill, 
Art tender, true and loving still; 
Thou, who when earthly friends betray 
Dost gently wipe my tears away, 
And whisper softly, — " Peace, my child, 
Cease vain regrets and longings wild; 
Lean thou upon my stronger arm, 
My love shall shield thee from all harm; 
And like a star in darkest night 
Shine o'er thy way a beacon light." 

Thou whom I love, yea, and adore, 

From thy full treasure house and store 

Give unto me my heart's desire, 

And touch with inspiration's) fire 

This tongue and pen, until each word 

Like a dear, swiftly, speeding bird 

Shall find a home and place to rest 

Jn some poor aching troubled breast ; 

And singing there a sweet, new song 

Wake BtraillS of joy and peace among 

Discordant strains of human life, 

With which tie- weary world is life. 

Oh, give me words with wisdom fraught, 

That shall embody purest thought; 

And for the wounds of earth prove balm, 

And to the tempest- tossed bring calm; 
Words that k,h*ll live, and breathe and 

burn, 
And Cauxe the wayward ones to turn 

A nd seek the good, eschew Ing ill, 
Distil a sweet refrain shall till 

The world with melody and love 

Like auto those pure realms above. 



THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RACE. 



In considering this subject it is well to 
have a foundation upon which to base 
an argument favorable to the feasibility 
of the proposition th at is not incorporated 
in the theory of the evolution of the 
race by the slow and almost invisible 
processes of nature. It has been dis- 
covered and demonstrated that growth 
and development in the animal and 
vegetable kingdoms can be hastened by 
scientific methods. This is amply shown 
in the improvements that have been 
made in all departments of agriculture 
and stock-raising during the last half 
century. Primitive methods and ma- 
chinery for farming and housework have 
given place to new and wonderful inven- 
tions for expediting and rendering lighter 
and easier the labor on the farm and in 
the home. 

Great improvement has been made in 
the various kinds of domestic animals, 
horses, cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry. 
The improvement in horses by careful 
breeding, feeding, and training has been 
something marvelous. In fact the mod- 
ern racehorse with a speed of a mile in 
less than two minutes, seems almost a 
new creation, as compared with the un- 
gainly, plodding horse of fifty years ago. 
Cattle have been improved, until the 
average weight and price of beeves have 
more than doubled in the last thirty 
years. The scrub stock that constituted 
farm herds have given place to fine breeds 
of Shorthorn, Holstein, Jersey, and oth- 
ers. Butter and butter-making hasentirely 
changed in quality and process. Sheep 
have been so much improved that the 
weight of fleece has been more than 
doubled, while the quality has also been 
greatly improved. The demand for and 
use of mutton has correspondingly in- 
creased. In swine the improvement has 
amounted to the creation of entirely new 
and distinctive breeds, the most popular 



of which is the Poland-China. The 
Berkshire, of English importation, orig- 
inally, is also one of the breeds in greatest 
demand. Looking at one of these fine 
fat creatures now, and comparing it with 
the long-nosed, razor-backed hog of "ye 
olden time," one would be led to think 
that man had greatly improved on what 
was first created and pronounced " good," 
The barnyard fowls of former times were 
a motley flock of all sorts. Few distinct 
breeds existed; now there are at least 
one hundred. They are bred with such 
intelligence and care that their char- 
acteristics and color are fixed to the 
shade of a feather. Incubators hatch 
the chickens, and hens have nothing 
to do except to lay the eggs. The same 
improvements and changes made in ani- 
mals have also extended to agriculture, 
horticulture, and floriculture. Our grains, 
fruits, and flowers are wonderfully im- 
proved. Our annual fairs in California 
illustrate the wonders wrought in fruit 
and flower cultivation. The magnificent 
chrysanthemums, the wonderful roses, 
pansies, and pinks seem entirely new cre- 
ations, so greatly do they differ from 
those that ornamented the front door 
yards in our grandmother's days. 

As we review all these great changes 
we can but ask if mankind has cor- 
respondingly improved. Has the rearing 
of boys and girls received the same care 
and attention that have been given the 
rearing of colts, calves, and lambs? If 
so, the results do not appear as satis- 
factory. Intellectually, as a nation we 
have made rapid strides; for only through 
study and experiment have the grand 
results in almost every department of 
life been attained. But in proportion as 
we have advanced intellectually, we have 
degenerated physically, until the major- 
ity of the young men and women of to- 
day are small of stature, narrow chested t 



THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RACE. 



239 



incapable of great physical strain or ex- 
ertion. Their muscles are soft and flabby; 
their brains large in proportion to the 
body; they are given to the use of nar- 
cotics and stimulants; they live largely 
in the sphere of artificial excitement and 
unnatural lives. They are poor material 
for the fathers and mothers of the next 
generation. The people have not given 
the same care and attention to the im- 
provement of the physical that has been 
devoted to the mental and intellectual 
faculties. The average boy and girl of 
to-day knows more at the age of ten or 
twelve years than their parents did at 
eighteen or twenty. But is their knowl- 
edge that which is calculated to make 
them the best and most useful men and 
women? Will they make wise, loving 
husbands and wives, fathers and mothers? 
Children, like hot-house plants, are 
being forced into a maturity of manner 
and expression quite unnatural to child- 
hood. They are miniature men and 
women. And when one thinks of the 
years to come, when these little ones 
shall have attained in reality manhood 
and womanhood, how dull and common- 
place will life have become to them. 
Those pleasures that should have re- 
mained untasted, the amusements and 
festivities that are designed as rest and 
recreation for people engaged in the act- 
ive duties of life — all these are partici- 
pated in by children who should know 
only the innocent games and sports of 
childhood. At school they are over- 
taxed and crammed with a vast amount of 
so-called education that will never prove 
of the slightest avail in after years. 
Much that is learned in school days is 
forgotten and useless when the man and 
woman have life to face in earnest, and 

the struggle for bread begins, Better 

that children be tanght how to live- in 
harmony with the laws of their being, 
how to attain physical perfection, how to 



regulate their lives so as to avoid sick- 
ness, and build up strong, disease-resist- 
ing bodies, than to be taught to read 
Greek and Latin and not know how to 
avoid taking a cold, or, having taken 
one, how to cure it. Intelligent men and 
women know that it is almost useless to 
talk about generation, and the improve- 
ment of human stock while the present 
social conditions obtain in society. 
Stock-breeders know that race-horses are 
not produced from "scrub" sires or 
dames; and what is true of horses is also 
true of the human animal called man. 
As long as insane people, criminals, 
drunkards, idiotic, diseased, and half- 
made, malformed creatures are allowed 
to marry and propagate their kind, the 
human race will continue to degenerate 
ph\sically and become more and more 
subject to disease in all its multifarious 
forms, early decay, and death. 

We heard a speaker remark not long 
ago, that " enlightened motherhood was 
the hope of the race." This is true to 
the extent that mothers are responsible 
for their offspring; but enlightened 
motherhood without an equally enlight- 
ened fatherhood would eventually result 
in the total destruction of the species, 
for women would cease to be mothers 
were they "enlightened," unless father- 
hood had attained a standard of enlight- 
enment equal to their own. This seems 
quite improbable when we realize the 
fact that tobacco and whisky, twin evils, 
have their clutches upon the throats of 
the coming generation, strangling the 
budding aspirations of early manhood 
before they have opportunity or time to 
mature into the perfect ripened frnit of 
an intelligent comprehension ol life's 
duties and responsibilities, or, that 
strength <>i will developed which enables 
them to rive superior to temptation, and 
masters of their environments. 



BEAUTIFUL GATES OF DAY. 



I used to wonder, my darling, 

If, in the days to come, 
That death would come like a shadow 

To darken our h*ppy home ; 
Or would it come as a blessing 

To open the gates of day, 
Through which we would pass with gladness 

To dwell with the loved alway. 

But now, since the light which is dawning 

Has gladdened my eager eyes, 
I see through the mists of the morning 

The glory of sunnier skies; 
And the bright, smiling faces of angels 

Are coming and going each way, 
Bringing blessings to those who still tarry 

This side of the gates of day. 

If ever you stand by me darling, 

When the last good-bye has been said, 
And my eyes have been closed to the sunshine 

And someone has said — "she is dead," 
Oh, drop not a tear on my pillow, 

But look up and joyfully say — 
She's done with all suffering and sorrow, 

She has entered the gates of day. 

And then I will kiss you, my darling, 

And whisper my unchanging love, 
And say — I will wait for your coming 

As constant and true as the dove; 
Until you have finished your labors 

And can calmly and joyfully say — 
lam ready to go with you, darling, 

Through the beautiful gates of day. 



SPIRITUALISM AND ORTHODOXY 
CONTRASTED. 



[An Address delivered before the Society of Progressive Spiritualists of San Francisco, Cal.] 



We are often asked the question " What 
are the superior henefits or blessings con- 
ferred by Spiritualism upon its adherents, 
over those resulting from other and older 
religious beliefs ? " 

First, we reply — Spiritualism is not a 
belief; it is knowledge — the first positive 
knowledge mankind has received of the 
continued, conscious existence of the 
spirit after the dissolution of the body, 
and its power to communicate intelli- 
gently with mortals. This fact has been 
abundantly demonstrated to the satisfac- 
tion of mil lions of intelligent people within 
the last thirty-nine years. A great many 
theories have been advanced and palmed 
upon an ignorant, credulous world by de- 
signing men, as divine revelations from 
a God who was also a creature of their 
own imaginations, reflecting only that 
degree of intelligence and goodness man- 
ifested by his creators. These theories 
have found believers in all ages; and 
among all people to whom I hey have 
been taught, and so great has been their 
influence over the minds of men that em- 
pires, kingdoms, and all fornix of govern- 
ment have been swayed and controlled 
by them. 

To judge properly and impartially of 
the merits of any system of religion we 
most study and note the effect Of its 
teachings upon humanity. 

What does history record of the effects 

of church dogmatism upon governments 

and individuals in earlier ages, and what 
is the result of our own observations at 
the present time? Its early historical 

record is one of bloodshed and crime of 

the usurpation of the power of gover n * 

mentS and the rights of the people. The 

church was not willing to leave the pun- 
ishment of those who dared to disobey 



her edicts to God, but invented all man- 
ner of cruel instruments of torture with 
which to enforce obedience, until, where- 
ever on the green earth the banner of the 
cross was unfurled, it waved over the 
graves of murdered heretics and its folds 
were sprinkled with their blood. Lecky 
says of that time, "The Church of Rome 
shed more innocent blood than any other 
institution that ever existed among man- 
kind. Its cruelties were not perpetrated 
in the brief paroxysms of a reign of ter- 
ror, or by the hands of obscure sectaries, 
but were inflicted by a triumphant 
church, with every circumstance of sol- 
emnity and deliberation. Its victims 
were usually burnt alive after their con- 
stancy had been tried by the most excru- 
ciating agonies that minds fertile in tor- 
ture could devise." So fearful were the 
scenes enacted, that the wheels of pro- 
gress were blocked, civilization retarded, 
and a thick darkness shrouded the world 
for centuries. The effect of church rule 
has ever been the enslavement of reason. 
It has been subjugated to a blind faith in 
creeds until, like dumb, driven cattle, 
men haw obeyed the dictum of their 
ecclesiastical masters, who still hold their 
sway ever millions of people by means of 
their most dangerous, crafty, yet ever 
potential argument "thus saith the 
Lord." Slowly but surely basthe light 
of truth been dawning upon the a 
The intellect ol man, so longsuboidinated 
and imprisoned, began to unfold its 
divine potentialities, and the time came 
when, notwithstanding the anathemas ol 
Pope and priests, such nun as Voltaire, 

Hume, Volney, and later 00, ininuutal 
Thomas Paine, dared to give nth r.nicc to 

the grand truths whi< h, while they rang 
the death knell ol superstition, were the 



242 



SPIRITUALISM AND ORTHODOXY CONTRASTED. 



joy-bells proclaiming mental liberty. 
Thus was the way prepared for the recep- 
tion of a new and later truth in the world, 
which, in its magnitude and beneficence, 
eclipses anything the mind of man has 
ever conceived of, bringing hope, com- 
fort, and joy to humanity, through this, 
the crowning gift of the ages — Modern 
Spiritualism. 

Since the advent of this grand truth, 
there has been a rapid and wholesome 
growth of liberal thought. Men and 
women have received higher and broader 
conceptions of the duties and responsi- 
bilities of life, and are beginning to shake 
off the dust — sweep down the cobwebs of 
many centuries' growth, and open the 
windows of their souls that the light 
may stream in, and in that light they dis- 
cern the dark forms of ignorance and 
bigotry, born of priestly rule and teach- 
ing, fading and melting away. We have 
seen the direful effects of the subjugation 
of reason to a blind, intolerant faith in 
creeds, in the religious wars of the past, 
whereby Europe became one vast battle- 
field, and all manner of crimes were com- 
mitted in the name of God and the 
Holy Church. To-day we do not see the 
smoke of battle, or hear the cries of 
anguish from tortured victims, but we 
see still brooding over us the clouds of 
superstition, and hear, from every pulpit 
in the land, thunderbolts of wrath hurled 
at the man or woman who dares to think, 
and through thinking aright become free. 
Among the free-thinkers thus denounced, 
hated and despised by the Christian 
churches, are those calling themselves 
Spiritualists; and as the time was not 
many years ago when the word abolition- 
ist was especially abhorred by these same 
churches and is now claimed as a title of 
honor by those who fought for universal 
freedom, so shall the time come when 
Spiritualist shall be spoken with reverent 
tongue as the grand liberator of the 
human race from Spiritual bondage. 

It is only by observing the contrast be- 
tween day and night that we are en- 
abled fully to appreciate the glorious 
sunshine, the sweet songs of birds, the 



beautiful flowers, the glowing landscape, 
the picture of loveliness that everywhere 
greets the eye when earth is bathed in all 
the golden glory of a perfect day, as com- 
pared with the shadows of night, when 
darkness has spread her sable pall over 
land and sea, and hidden from our ad- 
miring gaze the beautiful vision of the 
day. So with the physical, intellectual, 
moral, and spiritual conditions of man- 
kind. It is by contrasting vice and vir- 
tue, ignorance and education, truth and 
falsehood, disease and health, that we 
are enabled to decide what is best calcu- 
lated to advance and secure the attain- 
ment of the greatest good possible to be 
realized by all. Every thoughtful person 
knows that the theological teachings of 
the past and present have failed to bring 
into our lives the actualization of benefits 
which should accrue from any system to 
which has been, and still is, devoted so 
great an outlay of time and means wrung 
from the needy and oppressed for its 
support, as is devoted to the maintenance 
of Christian churches. Look at the 
thousands of magnificent churches, cost- 
ing millions of dollars, exempt from 
taxation, closed six days out of seven, 
built for the purpose of gratifying the 
vanity of priests and awing their follow- 
ers into obedience through an ostenta- 
tious display of wealth and power. 
God's houses — sacred temples — they are 
called. What a travesty upon Omnipo- 
tence. God's houses — in which are lux- 
urious carpets, soft-cushioned pews, 
warmth and beauty — closed — locked 
while His little ones are freezing in attics 
and cellars and dying outside. 

And, when within these temples are 
heard the grand anthems of praise from 
the worshipers, without are heard the 
plaintive moans of distress, from hungry, 
naked little children, the appeals for 
succor from the aged and helpless, the 
curses and imprecations of the depraved 
and vicious, the bacchanalian shouts and 
revelry of the desperate and abandoned, 
all mingling and ascending in one mourn- 
ful chorus to the listening ears of angels 
who sadly behold in all this wo and 



SPIRITUALISM AND ORTHODOXY CONTRASTED. 243 



degradation the triumph of ignorance 
and superstition over the reason and in- 
telligence of man. We would like to 
see the temples converted into educa- 
tional homes where the children of the 
government could be properly clothed, 
fed, and educated to lives of usefulness 
and honor, instead of allowing them to 
grow up in wretched homes of poverty, 
where they become skilled in vice, and 
finally go out to prey on society, filling 
asylums, almshouses, and prisons with 
paupers and criminals, thus becoming 
a tax and burden upon the government 
far greater than would be required to 
adopt them as its wards at first and edu- 
cate them accordingly. 

Is it not time for intelligent people to 
investigate candidly the teachings of 
Spiritualism and see if it does not offer 
them something better to live and labor 
for — something that will right some of 
the monstrous wrongs now existing in 
the world, and give them more rational 
views of life here and hereafter, than any 
other religion has yet offered them? Let 
us contrast its teachings with those of 
orthodoxy and see which holds the 
greater promise for humanity. 

Spiritual ism leaches progression and 
universal salvation for all mankind, not 
through a "vicarious atonement" but 
through individual effort and the divinity 
within which will ultimately lift every 
human being from the depths of igno- 
rance and sin, and place their feet firmly 
upon the mountain heights of wisdom, 
where the sweet inspirations of angel 
souls will ever help them to " come up 
higher" through all the ages of eter- 
nity. 

Orthodoxy teaches that mankind must 
accept a tradition two thousand years old, 
written we know not where, when, nor by 
whom, of a man called Jesus, and claimed 
to be the Son of God, who had scut him 
into this world to Buffer and die as 
a sacrifice for the sins of the people, 
that all who believed in him Should have 
everlasting life, and those who did not 
believe should be doomed to suffer ex- 
cruciating torture in a lake of fire ami 



brimstone for ever and ever. This tra- 
dition does not state what is to be the 
future condition of the many, many thou- 
sands who had lived, loved, and died 
ages before the Bible w T as written. 

Spiritualism teaches that there is no for- 
giveness of sin; that we must abide the 
consequences of our acts be they good or 
evil, and if evil make restitution to those 
we have wronged before we can hope to 
find peace or happiness. Orthodoxy 
teaches that " though your sins be as scar- 
let they shall be made white as wool " 
through the atoning blood of Jesus. No 
matter to what depths of infamy a man 
may have descended — though his hands 
be stained with the blood of his fellow- 
man, if, as the time approaches when he 
is to suffer the penalty of the law, a ter- 
rible fear and dread of future punish- 
ment in that place " where the worm 
dieth cot, and the fire is not quenched," 
takes possession of him, he calls in the 
services of a priest who performs the cer- 
emonies required by the church — the 
sinner is baptized, partakes of the Holy 
Sacrament, receives absolution, then 
swings from the gallows into glory, there 
to enjoy the companionship of God and 
His angels, play upon a golden harp, 
arrayed in shining garments of right- 
eousness, walk the golden streets of the 
New Jerusalem, singing praises to the 
Lamb forever and ever; while the poor 
victim he sent into eternity without time 
for this preparation must suffer the tor- 
ments of the damned throughout the vast 
cycles of unending time. ( )h! Consist- 
ency thou art a jewel, but thou dost not 
adorn the crown ofOrthodoxy. 

Spiritualism advocates the pei fret free 
dom and equality of all, irrespective ^>( 
race, color, or sex. 

Orthodoxy Bays: Servants, obey youi 
masters; wives, obey your husbands in all 

things, for the husband is head of the 

wife even asChrisI is head of the Church; 

and this infamous command is beii 

iterated ftoni the jail]. its ot oithodox 

churches to day, thereby helping to rivet 

the chains which have so long hound 
and fettered womankind making her the 



244 SPIRITUALISM AND ORTHODOXY CONTRASTED. 



victim of man's caprice and passion, in- 
stead of his equal and true helpmate. 

It has been stated that Spiritualism has 
built no orphan asylums, supported no 
charitable institutions, etc., while Chris- 
tianity has done all these things. But we 
must remember Spiritualism is not quite 
half a century old yet, it is but an infant 
just beginning to stand alone. Wait until 
it has been preached to the world nearly 
two thousand years as Christianity has 
been, then, methinks, as now, it will 
foster no charitable institutions, for its 
exalted teachings w 7 ill have leveled all 
distinctions of caste — and there will be 
no more poor. 

Jails, asylums and prisons will cast no 
dark shadows upon the beautiful earth, 
for long ere that time arrives, enlight- 
ened, spiritualized men and women will 
have ceased to beget criminals. There 
will be no need of orphan asylums, for 
love shall have become a vital, living 
principal iu the life of every human 
being, and our neighbor's child will be 
as tenderly cared for as our own. No 
little tender hearts will go starving and 
famished for love, for it will be every- 
where manifested, even unto the lowest 
of all created things. 

Unto thee, O Spiritualism, the faces 
of humanity are longingly and expect- 
antly turned to-day! In the light which 
thou bringest, they are beginning to dis- 
cern the errors of the past, and, quick- 
ened with thy loving inspirations, they 
are turning their steps toward the moun- 
tain heightsof wisdom and truth. Through 
the teachings of these dear ones whose 
feet have trod the immortal shores and 
return with their garnered sheaves of 
knowledge to scatter the seeds of truth 
broadcast upon the earth, many have 
broken the shackles which ignorance had 
bound upon them, and are now laboring in 
harmony with the great invisible hosts to 
bring to all of earth's children some 
glimpse of that better way, that higher 
and diviner life, when injustice shall no 
longer triumph over justice, when the 
strong shall no longer oppress the weak, 
when the nations of the earth shall learn 



war no more, when each sovereign human 
being shall become obedient unto the 
higher law of the spirit, instead of the 
law of brute force which now rules the 
world. Then there shall be no more 
master and slave, for all shall be free. 
Then shall the rights of little children be 
respected as being equal to those of larg- 
er growth. At present there are none 
so much abused, none so little understood, 
none whose rights are so thoughtlessly 
trampled upon, as those little helpless 
ones whose very helplessness should be a 
coustaut appeal to all the tenderness and 
love the human heart is capable of feel- 
ing. Then shall men and women under- 
stand the true meaning of parenthood, 
and not ignorantly and thoughtlessly 
project upon the rough sea of life a I rail 
little cra f t without the compass and chart 
of a sound mind in a sound body, to 
enable it successfully to battle with the 
winds and waves which must sweep over 
it. Then shall a free and enlightened 
womanhood throw off the fetters of 
unjust, man-made laws, and those other 
fetters which fashion has imposed upon 
her, whereby the feet which should ever 
be free to speed upon errands of mercy 
and love are now shackled and bound, 
and the beautiful form which nature 
models so exquisitely is dwarfed and 
compressed into ungainly deformity, 
ultimately resulting in disease and pre- 
mature death. When motherhood shall 
be considered a divine prerogative and 
the choicest blessing nature confers, in- 
stead of a curse to be dreaded and avoided 
if possible. When woman shall stand 
up, free and unshackled, a peerless 
queen, the perfect equal and true help- 
mate of her kingly brother. When man 
— grand, brave, true man — shall deal 
justly with the weak and helpless, carry- 
ing them in his strong arms, tenderly, 
lovingly. 

Then shall our dear departed ones no 
longer feel the shadow of death resting 
upon them, veiling their faces from those 
they love, but recognized and remem- 
bered as still belonging to the household, 
of which they are a part, they will walk 



SOUL COMMUNION. 



2 45 



joyfully beside us, counseling and advis- 
ing in times of perplexity, soothing and 
comforting when the waves of adversity 
break over us; and when we stand upon 
the borders of that unseen land, they will 
be there to greet us with words of wel- 
come and songs of rejoicing. 

Oh, Angels, haste to usher in that golden 

morning, 
Toward which we turn to-day, expectant, 

longing, 
When superstition from the world shall 

vanish, 
And Truth's bright rays the darkness 

banish, 



When free and equal man and woman 
Grow more divine and less of human ; 
When from each heart spontaneous 

springing 
Shall joyous songs come sweetly ring- 
ing* 
Saying to each, thou art my brother, 
Come, let us live to bless each other. 
On that blest morn, methinks the Angels 
Will sing anew their glad evangels, 
And "peace on Earth, good-will to 

men," 
Will echo through the Heavens again. 
For lo ! the Christ of love and wisdom 
Is born in every human bosom. 



"SOUL COMMUNION." 



We have been repeatedly asked what 
we thought of the "Whole World Soul 
Communion," of which so much is being 
said and written among our spiritual 
brethren. We think it is well to have 
" soul communion " often; in fact, every 
day and hour of our lives. The truly 
spiritual man or woman needs not an 
hour set apart once a month for this 
communion with the .'oul-world. It is a 
daily experience to those who live the 
proper spiritual life. This spiritual life 
is the condition described as being "one 
with the Father," where the person has 
attained that degree of soul-growth and 
nnfoldment that the divine influx of 
light, love, and wisdom from the highest 
spheres is a daily and hourly experience. 
Such need DO special day or hour; the 
light of truth continually streams in 
through the open windows of the soul, 
and its warm, life-giving beams are re- 
flected upon all who come within its 
radius. They live the life of the spiiit 

here and now; and manifest by their 
daily lives and conversation, their one- 
nesa with the Divine Soul of Being. 
For those, however, who are enwrapped 
with the materialities of their surround- 
ings, and catch only Stray gleams of the 
infinite soul-world pulsating and throb- 



bing with divine potentialities all around 
them, who are tethered to their idols of 
flesh, for them it may be well to have an 
appointed time in which to lay aside 
their material engrossments, and seek 
the angelic aid and upliftment which 
couies from supernal realms; for it is 
better to come once a month, even, into 
the vestibule of the "holy of holies," 
and breathe in the invigorating atmos- 
phere of realms supernal, than to remain 
forever enveloped in the fogs of earth. 
It is better occasionally to feel the gran- 
deur and beauty of the higher life than to 
never have a pulse-beat in accord with 
the rhythmical harmonies of the celestial 

universe. If, by a general observance Ol 

a certain hour set apart for "soul com- 
munion," any new light cm l>e received, 

and Spiritual aid and guidance invoked 

that will meet with a response from the 

angelic hosts who are supposed to be in 

general attendance upon mortals on that 
day, then, by all means, observe the hour. 
I! even one benighted fellow-creature is 

blest and enlightened by this otoei 

then has tin- hour heeu well spent; and 

tho e to whom has come Buch light 
should ever Mess and revere the day 
which lem one hout of " bouI 

communion." 



SPIRIT-MESSAGE. 



'Twas far away on distant shore 

My spirit-bark was wafted o'er 

The sea called death, which quickly passed, 

I found my spirit-home at last. 

It seemed so hard, at first, to die, 

When those I loved stood weeping by, 

And little children kissed the face 

So soon to find a resting-place 

Beyond the reach of lips that press 

The seal of love and tenderness! 

Another, too, bent o'er my bed — 

A husband, dear as wife e'er wed, 

He in whose arms I found repose 

When life seemed full of pain and woes; 

Full oft I sank to sweetest rest 

Upon that loving, manly breast, 

Now throbbing with the keenest pain 

That it could never hold again 

The loved one there, or soothe to sleep 

The eyes that could not help but weep 

Fond tears of thankfulness and bliss, 

That so much love I found in this, 

Your cruel world, where thousands pine 

For want of that which e'er was mine. 

I knew a chilling void would come 

In that sweet bower, my earthly home, 

When one, the mother, was not there 

In her accustomed place and chair, 

And little ones would call in vain, 

By every fond, endearing name, 

The one for whom all else beside 

Seemed nothing since their mamma died. 

But oh, the joy, the bliss indeed! 

When all was o'er, the spirit, freed, 

Found not its home in far-off heaven, 

Where all the ties of earth are riven, 

But close beside my loved and d ar. 

Although I could not make them hear 

Assurances that "all is well," 



SPIRIT-MESSAGE. 247 

I did not, could not say farewell, 
But longed to stay the tide of grief, 
And give their sorrowing hearts relief, 
To whisper, '"T was not dying, dear, 
For I am with you, and can hear, 
And see, and love you, just the same 
As ever, ere the living flame 
That lit those eyes and that pale cheek, 
And caused that silent tongue to speak, 
Was taken far from mortal sight, 
Your daytime changing into night, 
And yet that flame beyond the gloom 
And darkness of the earthly tomb, 
Still glows a living spirit, free 
As breezes fresh from o'er the sea." 
But ah, I could not make them know 
That all their pain and grief and woe 
Mistaken were, and that ere long 
We'll meet again, and sing the song 
Of gladness, in the happy land 
Where those who love go hand-in-hand 
Together through the circling years, 
Set free from earthly cares and fears, 
Unfolding every day and hour 
Some fresh and beauteous spirit-flower 
Of truth and love, whose fragrance rare, 
Like incense rising on the air, 
Seeks that supreme and central Good 
That we call Truth and you call God! 
They had not learned the glorious truth 
Which then to man was in its youth, 
Unknown, Bave t<> a favored few 
Who angels testing found were true. 

Those few defied a sneering world, 

And to the breeze Truth's flag unfurled. 

To every land, from Bea to Bea, 

Came proofs <>f Immortality: 
"Eureka!" through the heavens run 
"Eureka!" thankful mortals -1111-: 

"Aw ay w ith ;ill our doubts and R 

Away \\ Ith all our bitter teai b! 

No longei moui n in grief and pain. 

For angels come to earl ii again I" 



248 



ENCOURAGEMENT. 



They come with love and blessings sweet 
Their mourning friends below to greet, 
And bid them sing, in joyful strain, 
Although man dies he lives again — 
He lives a glorious being, fraught 
With all the wondrous powers of thought 
And research now intensified, 
While fields of science yet untried 
Lure him their fastness to explore, 
His fervor kindling more and more 
As Nature's secrets he lays bare, 
Revealing beauty everywhere; 
Till now, with aid from heavenly shore, 
The tree of knowledge blossoms o'er 
With grander truths, diviner thought, 
Than ever ancient sages taught. 



ENCOURAGEMENT. 



The mistakes of the 'past are but step- 
ping stones upon which the progressive 
individual climbs to higher ground. 
Growth comes only through the varied 
experiences of life; and the broadest, 
grandest souls are they whose windows 
are open to catch every ray of light that 
may stream in, and who can receive and 
appropriate to their unfoldment all the 
joys or sorrows that are strewn along 
life's pathway. From this standpoint, 
glancing backward, the past, viewed in the 
light of the present, seenis but a rough 
and slippery steep o'er which we have 
toiled, sometimes almost fainting by the 
way, and anon rested, comforted, and re- 
freshed, as some cool shade was reached, 
when Love reached down her snowy 
hands and led us into repose and peace, 
where happier conditions are enjoyed, 
and from which standpoint brighter 
scenes and more signal victories await 
us. The future may hold for us much of 
joy or sorrow, much of defeat or success, 
much of pain or of pleasure, much of 
usefulness or of apparent idleness. We 
cannot tell which way our lines may be 



cast, whether in pleasant places, or in 
the valley of sorrow; but, whatever may 
come, whatever of joy or of grief, of suc- 
cess or defeat may await us further on, 
we shall go bravely forward, trusting and 
knowing that wisdom rules the destinies 
of individuals as well as nations. We do 
not anticipate ill; there is a bright, rosy 
glow in the east that betokens the dawn; 
the night has been long, but it is almost 
past; and we hear, even as we write these 
lines, the whispered words of encourage- 
ment. Faint not, brave workers, for the 
seed sown in sorrow, ye shall reap in 
joy; for every sacrifice shall bring re- 
ward, and every noble effort shall return 
an hundredfold of satisfaction and pleas- 
ure. Since the beginning, the world has 
crucified its Saviors, the earth has been 
red with the blood of its heroes, and the 
very winds have scattered broadcast the 
ashes of its martyrs; but a new cycle has 
begun, and, hence, trne worth shall be 
appreciated, great truths shall be ac- 
cepted, and the world shall erect not only 
monuments to the martyrs and saviors of 
the past, but to those of the living present. 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



[Extracts from au address given at Scottish 
Society of Progressive Spiritualists.] 

It is a time-honored custom among the 
civilized nations of the earth to celebrate 
the natal day of noted personages. 

Dates of important events of national 
or general import, political, religious, or 
otherwise, are also marked as holidays* 
and their annual return observed with 
appropriate services and ceremonies, thus 
perpetuating their remembrance and 
securing for them the respect and venera- 
tion their merits demand. As the Chris- 
tian era dates from the supposed birth of 
Christ, the whole Christian world cele- 
brates the twenty-fifth of December with 
festivities and rejoicing. Even so, in 
time, will the multitudes of grateful 
people celebrate the thirty-first day of 
March as the day upon which was born 
a new savior and the ushering in of a 
new dispensation, the dawning of a new- 
day of promise, the discovery of a more 
brilliant star of hope and peace than the 
famous star of Bethlehem. 

Where to-day a few are gathered to 
commemorate this golden dawn, in the 
near future thousands will congregate; 
and while to day we are grateful for the 
faintest whisper of the angel loved ones, 
and cherish every test and token from 
the- other side as a most blessed boon, in 
the near future will come far more as- 
tounding revelations than have yet been 
dreamed of. There will come sueh 
mighty waves of spiritual light and truth 
breaking upon the shore-, of the mortal, 
that the tides of ignorance and error will 
be beaten back and the glory of the new 
day fill the whole earth with rejoic- 
ing. 

Glancing backward over the years that 

have passed sinee the first System of in- 
telligent communication between Bpirits 
and mortals was established, whal changes 
do we discover! Previous to that time 

darkness, indeed, brooded over the face of 



Halt. San Francisco, March 31, 1SS7, before the 

the whole earth. A portion of humanity 
was endeavoring to feed its famished 
heart upon the teachings of Christianity 
which, at best, could offer but faith and 
hope as a foundation upon which to 
build a belief in the future life; and when 
the belief was established it offered 
no comfort to the believer, for, in the 
cold, cheerless glitter of the golden - 
paved New Jerusalem, where all the in- 
habitants were arrayed in regulation 
garments of white, and the only occupa- 
tion was that of singing psalms and wav- 
ing palms throughout all the cycles of 
eternity, there was almost as little that 
was comforting to a wide-awake, active, 
progressive individual as the contempla- 
tion of that other place — the lake of fire 
and brimstone into which thousands of 
human beings were irretrievably plunged 
for eternal torture. 

The raps at Hydesville were the death 
blows to this fallacious doctrine. A new 
gospel of love, justice, and mercy sup- 
planted the old dogma of a wrathful God 
and eternal punishment. The voices 
from the spirit side echoed only songs of 
gratitude and happiness that then- was 
still another chance for earth's unfortu- 
nate children to retrieve their mistakes 

and commence s new and higher Life. 

These angel messages spread w ilh light- 
ning rapidity over the whole civilized 
globe. They were the leaven of truth 
which shall eventually permeate all sys- 
tems Of religions thought, all foinis of 

government, shaping and molding them 
so as to give highest expression t<» all 

that is noble, godlike, and divine- in man. 

Already lias tins fact been demon 

in many ways In our own country 

within the last thirty nine j ears. 

the advenl of modern Spiritualism, four 

millions ol human beings have had the 

shackles of slavery broken, who were 



25° 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



being bought and sold as the beasts of the 
field, and many times treated far more 
cruelly, and this result was finally brought 
about by liberty-loving spirits on the 
other side, who, through a medium, coun- 
seled that grand, great-hearted man, 
Abraham Lincoln, to issue the Emancipa- 
tion Proclamation. The Czar of Russia, 
Alexander Second, also freed twenty mil- 
lions of serfs by request of his spirit 
father, Nicholas, the First. 

Since the first testimony from the spirit 
world was recorded against the absurd 
and horrible doctrine of an endless hell, 
the Christian pulpits, with few excep- 
tions, have caught the glad echoes and 
are modifying their teachings in harmony 
therewith. The press also is becoming 
more liberal, and through all the current 
literature of to-day there runs a vein of 
spiritual thought, which, forty years ago, 
was unheard of. Even the drama has 
caught the spirit of the times, and upon 
the stage of the most popular theaters 
are rehearsed representations of spiritual 
manifestations. A humanitarian feeling 
which is the direct result of spirit teach- 
ing, has become so largely developed 
among the thinking classes that it has 
many times been found almost impossi- 
ble to secure twelve honest, intelligent 
men to serve as jurors when crimes have 
been committed which would seem to 
justify the death sentence in accordance 
with the laws of the land. Men are be- 
ginning to realize that when a murderer 
is hanged, his prison doors have been 
opened and the criminal set free. He is 
none the less a criminal after death than 
before, and carries with him into the 
other life all the feelings of hatred, 
malice and revenge which were burning 
in his bosom when he was forced through 
the gateway of an ignominious death 
into the spirit world. Spiritualism advo- 
cates the reformation of criminals instead 
of their legalized murder. 

In all the departments of life, in every 
issue involving the highest interests of 
mankind, the leaven of Spiritualism has 
entered with its benigu and elevating 
influence. Beginning at the fireside of a 



humble home, with innocent, guileless 
children for its evangels, it has spread 
over the whole world, to peasant's cot 
and palaces of kings. It has entered 
halls of learning — courts of justice, ortho- 
dox pulpits, legislative assemblies, and 
left a glimmer of its glistening garments 
amid the darkness of ignorance, the rub- 
bish of old-time creeds and laws. Spirit- 
ualism is universal in its application. It 
is no respecter of persons, high or low, 
rich or poor, all come within its encir- 
cling arms of love. 

God of Wisdom has not opened here 
and there a few small windows, through 
which the radiance of celestial spheres 
may shine upon a favored few, leaving 
the greater portion of humanity sitting 
in darkness and doubt, but the golden 
glory shines alike for all, the only ob- 
struction being the small degree to 
which the spiritual perceptives have 
been developed in the masses of man- 
kind. The manifestations of its presence 
are many and varied. The number of its 
mediums or channels of expression are 
countless; all animate and inanimate 
things are outward embodiments of the 
spiritual forces of the universe. 

To the spiritually awakened conscious- 
ness of man, every bursting bud, bloom- 
ing flower, or blade of grass is a message 
of love from the great Over-Soul. In 
every murmur of the breeze, every sob- 
bing wave as it breaks upon the shore, 
the thunder of the cataract, the roar of 
the storm, the gentle patter of the rain, 
is heard the voice of truth — of divinity 
speaking in no uncertain tones the 
needed message to the receptive soul. 

The guardian angel of each human 
life knows best when and how to impart 
the special word of truth when condi- 
tions favor and require it. To one who 
is carefully observant in the realm of 
cause and effect many wonderful spir- 
itual phenomena will be discovered 
which would be relegated to the world of 
chance by the thoughtless and uuobserv- 
ing. 

To such an one there is a deeper, a more 
profound meaning to the most trivial 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



affairs of life, than outward appearances 
would warrant or indicate. It is not 
necessary to be a seer — so called, in order 
to perceive spiritual forces working and 
shaping the destinies of men and nations 
in many silent, unseen, yet potential 
ways. It was but the lifting of the lid of 
a lea-kettle by the force eliminated from 
the boiling water within, that revealed to 
the prepared and receptive mind of Watts 
something of the powers and possibilities 
of steam. Some persons would say this 
was the merest accident — that it just hap- 
pened so, but looking back of the effect 
we trace the cause to the guiding, direct- 
ing intelligence of spiritual beings who 
had so shaped events that when the op- 
portune moment arrived a new truth 
could be given to humanity. It was not 
by chance that Franklin caught the 
lightning from the clouds, and through 
that first discovery revealed something of 
the uses of one of the most mighty forces 
in nature, of which but little has yet been 
made available in comparison to the 
revelations of the future, awaiting the 
development of some conditions whereby 
it can be demonstrated to the world. It 
was no idle dream of Columbus, of a 
great continent beyond the vast expanse 
of waters lying before him, but the re- 
flected impression from some mighty 
angel, who had in charge the destinies of 
nations under whose guidance he was as 
a bit of clay in the hands of-the potter. 

Men are not always conscious of being 
guided by unseen powers. Many would 
scout at the very suggestion, yet con- 
scious or not, humanity at large repre- 
sent! only the outward effects of the 
great invisible world of cause operating 

upon and through it. Thai there always 

have been people who recognized Bpirit- 

ual guidance and direction, history 
Clearly proves. Through all the ages of 

the past of which mankind lias any 

record, he it either the written testimony 
of reliable witnesses, or the legendary 
fragments transmitted verbally from par- 
ents to children, through successive gen- 
erations, history has revealed the fact of 
spiritual communications having been 



received by all nations and people on the 
planet. 

In the days of Moses when, it is said, 
God revealed himself to the Children of 
Israel, goiug before them as a cloud by 
day, and a pillar of fire by night, or when 
speaking to Moses through the burning 
bush, or amid the thunders and light- 
nings of Mount Sinai, the manifestations 
were suited to the requirements of the 
people. 

A race who had been slaves in Egypt, 
ignorant and brutalized under the lash of 
their Egyptian task-masters, were not 
prepared to receive the beautiful teach- 
ings of the Golden Rule. They could 
comprehend a communication command- 
ing them to exact "an eye for an eye, 
and a tooth for a tooth," while the ser- 
mon upon the Mount would have been 
wholly unintelligible and practically im- 
possible to such crude natures as theirs. 
Wherever and whenever an attempt has 
been made to impart spiritual or sci- 
entific truths to mankind in advance of 
the enlightenment of the people sufficient 
to comprehend such truths, the instru- 
ments through whom they have been 
given have been made the objects of 
scorn, ridicule, persecution, and, in many 
instances, they have been put to death 
by the most cruel tortures. We who live 
in an age and country where freedom of 
speech is accorded unto all can scarcely 
conceive of the amount of moral courage 
required in the man or woman who, in 

defiance Of established opinions and laws, 
would face the COUStt |iiences and give to 
the world some message of truth before 

the world was prepared to receive it. 
Yet, notwithstanding all this apparent 
lack of receptivity on the part of mortals, 
thru- have always been some souls to 
whom new truths were acceptable, who 
have waited and longed for their coming, 

and were the i host n evangels tO pro- 
claim them to the world. 
These have been the illuminate.: 
the measiahs ol evei y neu dispensa- 
tion the k 1 *"'' 1 '< achea . n bo have Km en 
a> watch-towers along the shores of time 
shedding light across the dark waste of 



252 



THE PROGRESS OF SPIRITUALISM. 



waters, where many poor, shipwrecked 
mortals have found the harbor of safety 
— the shores of the promised land. At 
the present time, not a few but many are 
receiving spiritual illumination. The 
whole civilized world is bathed in the 
radiance reflected from immortal spheres. 
True, there are those still, who, having 
eyes see not the grandeur and beauty, 
and having ears hear not the immortal 
symphonies of the spiritual universe 
around and about them, awaiting only 
the quickened perceptions to feast the 
souls of humanity with its divine reali- 
ties. The voice of the spirit speaks to 
all, varying only in outward methods of 
demonstration. To the devotee at the 
shrine of St. Peter's it speaks through 
the outward symbols of the Holy Virgin, 
the Madonna and Child, the crucifix 
with its murdered Christ, the apostles, 
saints, and martyrs. The Buddhist hears 
its whispers in his sacred groves and 
temples — in the seclusion of caves and 
convents, where endurance rather than 
action is the highest morality whereby 
Sansara is to be outgrown and the bea- 
tific franchisement of Nirvana attained. 
It speaks in audible voice to 

" The poor Indian whose untutored mind, 
Sees God in clouds and hears him in 
the wind," 

and although his conception of the Great 
Spirit may not harmonize with the pre- 
vailing idea of an orthodox God or Jew- 
ish Jehovah yet, may it not be possible 
as much of truth has been revealed con- 
cerning one as the other. 

It has been reserved for the spiritual 
man and woman of the present to obtain 
clearer views, more perfect knowledge, 
loftier ideals and conceptions of life, 
physical and spiritual, than those of any 
preceding age. The invisible world is 
daily becoming more visible and real, 
and its divine harmonies are vibrating 
through every sympathetic heart-throb 
of those whose souls are attuned to ils 
receptivity. 

In the daily experience of every indi- 
vidual come little things, unimportant in 
themselves, but freighted, many times, 



with much of weal or wo to one or 
many. The spirits voice their messages 
in various and often peculiar ways. It 
may be a careless word spoken without 
thought or meaning by some friend and 
yet prove a message to you sufficient to 
change the whole current of your life. 
It may be a song or a strain of music from 
some grand organ that spoke to you 
more then anthem or sermon because it 
voiced the guardian angel's message in a 
language you could understand and inter- 
pret. The Christian does not go to 
church every time he wishes to pray, but 
lifts his voice in prayer at his own fire- 
side, or in the solitude of field or grove, 
when silent or alone his thoughts go out 
in supplication to the God whom he be- 
lieves is everywhere present. So the 
true Spiritualist need not always enter 
the seance-room in order to commune 
with the angel loved ones. To those who 
are investigating, who stand upon the 
threshold of the open door of knowledge, 
the seance-room is the school-room where 
the alphabet is mastered. It is the inia- 
tory chamber where the facts of spiritual 
existence and communion aie demon- 
strated, and the first positive evidence 
gained of the great unknown lying out 
and beyond, where the earnest seeker 
after truth finds unlimited fields of obser- 
vation and research ever broadening and 
expanding before him as his eager feet 
traverse their devious paths. To remain 
lingering in the school-room forever 
would be as unbecoming the progressive 
Spiritualist as for the student who wished 
to master the higher mathematics to 
confine his studies to the first pages of 
addition and subtraction. 

Spiritualism teaches continuous pro- 
gressive uufoldment. It does not say to 
the aspiring mind — " be content, — remain 
where you are"; but it says, onward and 
upward forever. 

Let it suffice for the earth-worm to 
grovel in the dust; but man — immortal 
man, may build his home among the 
stars. 

To-day you behold the harvest of the 
last thirty-nine years; and as you gather 



SPIRIT MINISTRATION. 



253 



in the golden sheaves you are also sowing 
seed for future harvests. 

To-day holds the fulfilment of the 
promise of yesterday, and is the prophecy 
of to-morrow; and judging from its mani- 
fold victories, its blessings and triumphs, 
its achievement in the fields of spiritual 
and scientific research, its greater light 
and knowledge of the heretofore mysteri- 
ous and incomprehensible country to 
which our loved ones departed when the 
awful silence of death fell upon them — 
what may we not hope and expect of to- 
morrow ? Already do we feel the ecstasies 
of the coming day throbbing and beating 
in the bosom of the present. As the 
mother feels the quickening of the em- 
bryo life that is to become the god- 
like man of the future, so is the present 
hour pregnant with the un revealed and 
hidden glory awaiting the fulness of 



time to gladden the hearts of all human- 
ity, and fill the whole earth with its inef- 
fable splendor. 

The gates which were just ajar thirty- 
nine years ago, are now wide open, and 
coming and going upon the golden stair- 
way, are the whitely shining feet of 
angels bearing their messages of love to 
men. Listening, we can hear the sweet 
songs of gladness,— looking, we can be- 
hold their radiant faces beaming with 
love and tenderness upon us, and recog- 
nize among the happy throng, the darl- 
ings of our hearts and homes; who have 
only gone before us, leaving the door un- 
closed behind them, through which our 
longing eyes can follow them until they 
rest upon the flower-decked borders, the 
evergreen mountains, the silver seas, 
beautiful islands, glowing, love-lit skies 
of the glorious summer laud. 



SPIRIT MINISTRATION 






In our hours of deepest wo, when the 
sunlight seems to have faded, and the 
stars of hope forever set; when dark- 
ness without and heaviness ol spirit 
within fold their mantles of gloom about 

ih, then comes the blessedness of spirit 

ministration and spirit communion. 
Then, Although we may be treading the 
wine-press of sorrow alone, though 
human love and sympathy serin alar off, 
the bright, the beautiful, the loved ones 
draw near unto us and pour into our 

wounded hearts the balm of their tender 
and devoted love, then come the Faithful 

and true, the noble, unselfish ones, who, 
knowing our griefs, our trials, : 1 n < 1 

temptations, gently fold us in their anus 

of love and whisper words of hope and 

trust, of encouragement and sympathy. 
After such baptisms ol angelic- ministry, 
-we emerge from our Garden of Geth> 



setnane strengthened, uplifted, purified, 

and blest. The sun again shines, the 

stars beam on us lovingly; friends once 
estranged Beem nearer and dearer than 
before; our own hallowed experiences 

having drawn us nearer to them and they 

to us, until we wonder thai s thought of 
coldness or un kindness could have crept 
in and opened a gulf between ourselves 

and our fi iends. 

i,et us ever welcome these angeli* 
tors who came to us with blessings man) 
Fold; without them life's burdens 
too gi lev. .us to be borne; its paths too 
rough for our untried feet; its friend 
ships too false and fickle; its joys evas 
escent; its gloom impenetrable, and it* 
climax death an tinsolved mysti 
grim and horrible specter ever haunting 

our dreams, and blighting the 

hope buds on the ti«<- of" human life. 



THE WORLD'S NEED. 



The world needs men and women 

Willing to do and dare ; 
True souls who never falter. 

Or shrink at pain or care. 
It needs the wise and loving 

To lead the faint and weak; 
To help uplift Ihe fallen, 

And words of comfort speak. 

Willing for truth to suffer 

And patiently endure, 
In every thought and action 

Be just and true and pure; 
Whose lives of perfect sweetness, 

Like melody of song, 
Shall charm the world to goodness, 

And change to right the wrong. 

Lo! the glad time is coming, 

By prophets long foretold, 
When men for love shall labor, 

And not, as now, for gold; 
When all with one grand effort 

Shall work for human good, 
And nations be united 

In one great brotherhood. 

Then darkness, which now hovers 

All over the fair land, 
Shall scatter as the sunshine 

Of Truth's bright beams expand. 
Oh, workers, be brave-hearted, 

And struggle for the right; 
At last you'll be victorious 

And right shall conquer might. 



OUR BRAVE WORKERS. 






If there is one virtue to be cherished 
above another — one sentiment most 
worthy of cultivation and expression, it is 
that of grateful appreciation and recog- 
nition of noble, unselfish work for others' 
good. In times of peril and war, when 
heroes are wanted — brave, noble souls 
who will sacrifice home, friends, yea, 
even life itself, for the protection and 
safety of others, then does this feeling of 
gratitude find largest expression. Then 
the multitudes crown, the heroes with 
laurel wreaths, while titles of honor and 
positions of trust are awarded them. 
The victorious general who has led 
armies to battle and conquest receives 
the nation's gratitude; wherever he goes 
cities are decorated in his honor, and his 
journey from State to State witnesses one 
grand ovation, the tribute of the grateful 
multitudes to whom he has been a bene- 
factor; and for the heroes who fall, a 
nation's tears are shed. She erects mon- 
uments to their memory, and immortal- 
izes them in the pages of history. Kach 
year when the springtime brings its 
wealth of fragrant blossoms, she sends 
her sons and daughters laden with trib- 
utes of love and remembrance to strew 
their graves with flowers, and recalls to 
mind their valorous deeds in glowing 
words, in poetry and song. 

This is well; but we say unto you, 
there are other wars waged than those of 
national conflict; there are other battles 
fought than those with sword and gun; 
there are other heroes deserving the lull 
meed of praise than the victorious gen- 
erals; there are other martyrs who pel ish 
for the sacred cause of human liberty 
than those who fall amid the roar of 
cannon, the rattle of musketry, and the 
shouts of frenzied men upon fields of 
carnage and death. This other conflict 
now being waged is between the oppos. 
ing forces of Trutfa and Krror. The 



weapons used are not those of carnal 
warfare. The soldiers fighting under 
Truth's banner use the "sword of the 
spirit," which is kind, loving, helpful 
words, noble deeds, and pure, unselfish 
lives. These are far more effectual in 
demolishing the old walls of superstitious 
strongholds than all the armaments of 
the w r orld combined. 

Their battle cry is also Freedom! but 
it is set to the sweet music of peace on 
earth, good-will to men. Their enemies 
are the mighty hosts of Error, whose 
weapons are pride, lust, intemperance, 
greed of gain, tyranny, and injustice, 
old-time creeds, dogmas, and supersti- 
tions from which have sprung the multi- 
tudinous wrongs we are called upon to 
combat on every hand. 

In this warfare are also struggles with 
self, for the overcomiug'of inherited or ac- 
quired passions and propensities, which, 
if left unrestrained, would run riot like 
swine in a beautiful garden, destroying 
individual usefulness, and with it all the 
sweet hopes and promises of a grand and 
noble manhood and womanhood, blight 
ing the lives of dearly loved ones as 
surely as the hot breath of the simoon 
would poison and blight the tender buds 
and flowers; and the heroes are they that 
overcome; they who, alone and single- 
handed, have battled and conquered, 
when 00 eyes but those of the ever- 

present angels have witnessed the con 
diet; when no ears have heard their 

prayers for aid and strength save the 
ever-listening ones of faithful spirit 
guardians, who are always ready to reach 

out snowy hands of helpfulness, and 

whisper words of hope and rnrourage- 
iiii'iil in BUCfa hours of Struggle with the 

forces of evil. Though no laurel chap 
lets crown the brows o( these victors, 
though the adulation of the multitude 

Should never DC their uu. nd, vet there 



256 



IMMORAL PLAYS. 



is an inner peace which passeth under- 
standing, a consciousness of affiliation 
and companionship with angels, which 
surpasses all outward demonstrations of 
appreciation by men, as the full efful- 
gence of the noonday sun surpasses the 
first faint gleams of morning. They 
stand upon heights the multitude can 
not perceive, victorious, self-crowned, 
royal men and women, who, knowing 
their own struggles, have great, com- 
passionate hearts, full of tender pity and 
sympathy for their weaker brothers and 
sisters, who, when beset with like tempta- 
tions, have fallen in the conflict, weak, 
helpless victims of their appetites and 
lusts. There are generals who are bravely 



striving to marshal their forces and aid 
those on the spirit side in their efforts to 
bless and elevate the denizens of earth. 
They are to be found wherever work for 
humanity is to be done. They are the 
leaders in all reforms — the pioneers in 
the cause of universal liberty; they are 
the heralds on the mountain-tops pro- 
claiming the birth of a new day; they 
are the organizers, directors and admin- 
istrators of all public efforts for the ad- 
vancement and spiritualization of man- 
kind; they are the torch-bearers whose 
light is scientific truth, which reveals to 
mankind his right relations to material 
and spiritual things. 



IMMORAL PLAYS. 



A great deal is said about immoral 
books and their baneful influence upon 
the youth of the laud; but, disastrous as 
is the reading of pernicious literature, it 
is no more evil in its effects than is the 
witnessing, upon the boards of a theater, 
of an immoral play. By immoral we do 
not mean lewd or vulgar, as such plays 
are never seen in a respectable theater; 
but we mean those plays wherein the 
vicious, cruel, and devilish aspects of 
human nature are presented in all their 
hideousness; where theft, murder, and 
other crimes are portrayed with life-like 
fidelity. Not long since the writer wit- 
nessed a play of this sort, the blood- 
curdling scenes of which were truly 
horrible. In one act an old man — a 
miser — commits a murder; his victim is 
choked to death with a handkerchief, 
and the terrible death-struggle — the 
death-rattle in the victim's throat — the 
old man gloating over the corpse — all pre- 
sented a scene so ghastly and sickening 
as to cause a thrill of horror in the be- 
holder. In the same play other terrible 
crimes are portrayed; the finale being the 
death by suicide of one of the villains. 



The result was depressing in the ex- 
treme; and the thought came what must 
be the effects of witnessing such plays 
upon a delicate, sensitive, pregnant wo- 
man ? Surely the mental picture en- 
graved upon the impressible mother's 
mind must result disastrously upon the 
embryo child. It is well known that a 
momentary fright or sight of some re- 
pulsive object will leave an indelible im- 
pression upon the unborn babe, thus 
sometimes disfigured for life. Is it not 
probable that the impress of some hor- 
rible crime thus stamped upon the unborn, 
may, in years to come, yield the fruit of 
murder ? How can a prospective mother, 
cognizant of the laws governing pre-natal 
life, dare to witness such a play ? We do 
not understand the public sentiment that 
approves of such representations upon 
the stage and furnishes crowded houses 
nightly to witness the shocking spectacle. 
Much more good and much less evil 
would result if our theaters would pre- 
sent the better side of human nature — 
portraying noble deeds, and thus stimu- 
lating the people to imitate the good, 
the pure, and the beautiful. 



DEDICATED TO J. V. M. 






I see a man with silvery hair, 

A noble, thoughtfal brow! 
A face well marked by time and care, 

A worker even now 
When age should bring repose and peace, 
And from life's busy cares release. 

Thou hast a form from Nature's mold, 

Perfect and full of grace, 
Wherein the spirit ne'er grows old 

And time can leave no trace 
Upon that inner self of thine, 

Approximating the divine. 

For thou hast passed through many a change 

And many a life hast lived. 
To give the soul that broad, free range, 

Which only is achieved 
Through various phases of earth-life — 

Love, hatred, envy, peace and strife. 

And though I may not trace them all, 

This much now comes to me; 
The Spruit's growth through rise and fall, 

Repeated oft in th< 
By peasant's garb and kingly crown, 
ression of the soul is shown. 

I see thee first robed as a pi 
Lighting the altar fi 

Thru joining in the solemn I' 

With holy, pun- dc 

To rise above the rabble rude, 

Whose lives and thoughts are low and crude. 

A slave thou toilesl with the an 

Beneath the Master's lash, 
nt no higher good t<> - 

Than t.. perform thy task; 
l eeling thy gre itest earthly gain 

W.is food and shelter to obtain. 



253 



DEDICATED TO J. V. M. 



A warrior brave thou goest forth, 

Unmindful of the cost; 
Regarding life as little worth 

When liberty is lost; 
Preferring death upon thy sword 
Than such a life thy soul abhorred. 

Again a nobleman art thou, 

Of station, wealth and rank, 
To whom the multitude doth bow, 

Whose health is oiten drank 
By those who emulate thy fame, 
Thy noble qualities and name. 

A teacher, thou, of ancient lore 

In Egypt's palmiest days, 
When nations gave her of their store 

And poets sung her praise; 
When the proud Ptolemies ruled the land 
With selfish and unsparing hand. 

Upon the low banks of the Nile, 
Where the sand waves stretched away. 

Thou often didst the hours beguile 
Of the warm, slumbrous day, 

With softly sweet, enchanting lays 

In Isis and Osiris' praise. 

From out those lives of ioy and pain, 

Thy soul of priceless worth 
Reincarnated once again 

Hast come to bless the earth, 
To teach mankind of angel lore, 
From thy full treasure-house and store. 

The faith that raises man above 

This world of petty cares, 
And fills all human hearts with love, 

And heeds the humblest prayer, 
Of those who plead with streaming eyes 
For one faint gleam from Paradise. — 

This thou wert sent to prove and teach, 

That all may surely know 
That arms of loving angels reach 

And shelter all below — 
That none are lost to heaven's call, 
For God's great love is overall. 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM 



[Address given before the 

The world needs men and women willing 

to do and dare — 
Brave souls who never falter or shrink at 

pain or care. 
It needs the wise and loving, to lead the 

faint and weak, 
To help uplift the fallen and words of 

comfort speak. 
Willing for Truth to suffer and patiently 

endure; 
In every thought and action to be just, 

and true, and pure; 
Whose lives of pertect sweetness, like the 

melody of song 
Shall charm the world to goodness and 

change to right the wrong. 

It is the mission of Spiritualism to revo- 
lutionize the world; to sweep away the 
accumulated rubbish of centuries of igno- 
rance and superstition. It has come into 
the world as a light-bearer to those who 
sit in the midstof darkness and desolation, 
revealing unto them " a new heaven and 
a new earth wherein dwelleth righteous- 
ness." It has come in answer to the 
earnest, intense longing of human hearts 
everywhere, and has shown that there is a 
higher and diviner life within the reach 
of all; that none are so unfortunately cir- 
cumstanced — not even the lowest and 
most degraded of all humanity — but that 
there is within each a spark of divinity 
which shall ultimately triumph over all 
untoward environments, and bring forth 
from the crude and chrysalis condition 
the perfect man, the aspiring and ascend- 
ing angel. It has come as a messenger 
of light and gladness to the bereaved and 
desolate, who, like Rachel of old, are 
mourning for their loved ones and refuse 
to be comforted because they are not. It 
has rolled away the stone from the sepul- 
chers, and has said unto the mourning, 
"Behold! your beloved ones have 
arisen." With the light of eternal truth 

it has demonstrated the existence of the 

spiritual world of life and beauty lying 
all around you, awaiting the coming of 



Spiritualists of San Jose.] 

this angel to give you spiritual sight and 
hearing, that you may perceive its divine 
harmonies. It has made plain the way 
which has been shrouded in darkness and 
beset with demons of theological inven- 
tion apparently ready at every juncture 
to pounce upon the unwary and hurl them 
into the pit of perdition. It has removed 
these terrors and opened to your enrap- 
tured vision a flower-strewn highway 
leading through verdant fields, shady 
groves and pleasant meadows, beside 
murmuring fountains and still waters, 
where singing birds and laughing, happy 
children make melodious the air, and 
love's eternal sunshine brightens and 
beautifies the enchanting way. 

Spiritualism has done all this for hu- 
manity, and still there are those who 
grope along blindly, in darkness and 
sorrow, while all around them lies this 
world of surpassing beauty and ineffable 
splendor. Why is this ? Is Spiritualism 
at fault? Are the ministering spirits who 
are sent to carry "glad tidings of gnat 
joy " remiss in deeds of tenderness and 
love ? Or do you, through lack of earnest 
endeavor, fail to attain to this state of 
blessedness and peace? You see, in your 
daily life, no shining highways, but in 
their stead your feet press thorny paths. 
You see no sparkling fountains, but are 
fainting by the wa\side with the toil and 
heat of the day. You hear no BWeel 

music, but sighs sod moans from so 
overburdened people everywhere greel 

your ear. Kiroi is sitting in high places, 

clothed in the roj ai vestments of power, 

while ttuth- tweet, loving, beautiful 

truth— goes naked through the WOrld, 

Greed and avarice are piling up their 
shining millions, while honor and virtue 

are starving in Cellars and atties. \ :> e 

and idleness are arrayed in fine linen and 
purple, faring ■umptuously ever] 

while honest labor is elothed in ragS, and 



260 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM. 



goes begging for its just dues. The de- 
bauchee, who glories in the spoilation of 
innocence and virtue, is pampered and 
petted, feasted and praised, while his 
helpless and hapless victim is doomed to 
a life of shame and digrace. But why 
enumerate the woes and miseries — the 
wrongs and abuses of mankind — unless, 
by so doing, the masses can be aroused 
to a realization of their condition, and 
incited to adopt methods of reform? No 
reformation can ever come except by per- 
sistent, untiring, individual effort. Each 
should feel the importance of individual 
responsibility. Endeavor to feel that 
upon you alone depends this work, of 
reformation; and begin at once to labor 
in that direction. Do not commence with 
your neighbors, but with yourselves. See 
to it that your own life is pure, that your 
motives are unselfish, that your souls are 
full of love and charity for all humanity. 
Never lose an opportunity of saying a 
kind word, or reaching out a helping 
hand to any unfortunate struggling in 
the depths of despair, even though his 
own wrong doing may have been the 
cause of his desolation and distress. If 
you aspire to reach a condition of angel- 
hood by and by, strive now to imitate 
those messengers of love and mercy 
whose arms are ever extended unto the 
helpless and abandoned in tenderest 
sympathy — the whiteness of whose celes- 
tial raiment is never dimmed, but shines 
with radiant glory in the hovel of the 
wretched and dying, where the feet of 
human charity do not tread, and where 
human sympathy does not reach. 

Spiritualists, like many of their ortho- 
dox brethren, are too much inclined to 
expatiate upon the glories and beauties 
of a far-away Summer Land, and refer 
lovingly to the dear angel friends who 
are waiting "over there" to greet them 
when the labors of this life are ended. 
They do not seem to realize that the 
Summer Land is here and now, and that 
the dear spirits who most need their 
tender love and care, are those who are 
still dwelling in physical forms with little 
of humau sympathy, and in want of 



homes, food, clothing, and such earthly 
environments as will best develop angelic 
attributes. While we would not detract 
from the tenderness which clusters around 
the memories of the dear departed, yet 
we would have you remember that they 
are beyond the need of material assist- 
ance, and while you love and remember 
them none the less tenderly, we would 
have you pay tribute to their memory, 
not by erecting costly monuments of 
granite and marble, but through your 
ministry of love to the living. Here is a 
great field of labor for the earnest worker 
who desires to put into practise the les- 
sons of love and wisdom it has been the 
mission of Spiritualism to teach ; for only 
so far as the teachings of any system can 
be made of practical use in the ameliora- 
tion of the distress and woes of life are 
they of value to humanity. In this di- 
rection Spiritualism offers incentives to 
noble effort far surpassing those of any 
other system or religion yet presented to 
the world. It offers no vicarious atone- 
ment for sin through the death of an 
innocent person. It teaches that good 
works are the only sure passport to a life 
of peace and happiness beyond the gates 
of death; that the only sure way of be- 
coming an angel in the future is by be- 
ginning to be one now, by cultivating in 
yourself all those attributes you have 
been accustomed to call divine. Be 
honest and true with one another, avoid- 
ing all hypocrisy and deceit, remember- 
ing the time is not far distant when you 
shall be known by all as you are now 
known by the ever-present angels who 
encompass you as a cloud of witnesses. 
You may be able to deceive one another 
now — to cover up your misdeeds with a 
mantle of hypocrisy, to live a lie daily, 
and to all outward appearances remain 
undiscovered; but remember there comes 
a time when you will stand in your true 
light, the masks will drop off and conceal- 
ment be no longer possible, and you shall 
be known for just what you are, not, as 
here, for what you seem to be. That 
hour of humiliation is well depicted in 
the Scripture account of the Day of 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM. 



261 






Judgment, when evil-doers shall cry 
unto the rocks and mountains to fall 
upon them and hide them from the face 
of the great Judge of the Universe. Your 
judge will be a quickened and illumi- 
nated conscience — a vivid memory of past 
misdeeds, with all their painful conse- 
quences. From this judge there will be 
no escape — no commutation of sentence. 
Then will you have to begin doing the 
things which should be done now. The 
great work of reformation and purifica- 
tion of self will then be entered upon 
and consummated through your labors to 
help and bless others. By lifting up the 
fallen yourself shall rise; by comforting 
others you shall be comforted; by bless- 
ing others you shall be blest; and by 
laboring in every available channel to 
elevate and spiritualize your fellow-men 
shall you be elevated and spiritualized. 
There is no royal road to happiness over 
flowery beds of ease, but work, earnest, 
helpful, noble work for other's good. 

"But," says one, "what can I do? 
There is no use of one struggling alone 
to reform the world ? " Divine Omnipo- 
tence does not place this responsibility 
upon any one individual; but each and 
all are called by the Voice of Truth to do 
their part wisely and well. Meet to- 
gether and discuss ways and means* <>f 
usefulness. There is work enough for 
all, and if entered upon in a thorough, 
systematic manner, you will be aston- 
ished at the results. Let a handful of 
earnest, devoted persons decide upon 
some special work, and enter into it with 
all the zeal and earnestness that comes 
from a lofty inspiration— a divine pur- 
pose — and there is no possibility of fail- 
ure. I.ike casting a pebble into the 
brook, the Circle upon the surface- grows 
wider and wider. You Cannot estimate 
tin- extent of your usefulness by the 

apparent temporary results. The good 
Beeds sown may not at once germinate 

and bloom, but by and by, when tin 
gentle rain of sorrow shall have w'att nd, 
and tin- sunshine of love wainnd and 
revivified them, they will spring into 
beauteous life, the blossom and fruitage 



of which shall be as manna from heaven 
unto the starving souls of men. Many 
capable, willing persons need only to 
have the work mapped out for them, and 
gladly will they enter into it. All are 
not capable of taking the initiatory steps 
in enterprises involving grave responsi- 
bilities, but there are those who are born 
leaders, who can successfully plan gigan- 
tic reforms, and, with the assistance of 
their fellows, inaugurate and execute 
them, while single-handed and alone 
they would prove as useless and ineffi- 
cient as the weakest one among you. 
Therefore, harmonious cooperation is the 
only way of meeting and combating the 
existing wrongs of society with any as- 
surance of success. 

The churches expend vast sums of 
money sending missionaries to heathen 
countries to preach that which, in the 
light of Spiritualism, is in great part 
error. Cannot Spiritualists make an 
effort to send out missionaries also, not 
to heathen countries, but to people in 
their midst who are starving for the 
bread of life, which they alone can give ? 
Let a few, who are thoroughly imbued 
with the importance of such a move- 
meut, form a nucleus, and around this 
will soon be gathered a powerful band 
of both seen and unseen workers who 
will systematize a plan of operation, 
whereby speakers and mediums can be 

sent in all directions, under the- auspices 

of tin- parent society, for the purpose 

of teaching tin- philosophy and demon 

Btrating through the* phenomena tins 
beautiful truth, so dear to everj true 
Spiritualist, and organizing minor bo 
cieties in every section of the- 1 

Coast. 

Lei this Pacific O >as1 Missii >nai 

cit ty be inde-pe nde nt of any local 

ciations <»r interests. Let it 

in its ministrations, and let it continue its 
WOl k until, from its not the 1 11 to its south - 

(i 11 extremity, this beautiful 

be alive with spiritual truth, leavenii 

whole social, 1 olitical, and religious body 

with its divine hnniauitai ian inspire 

tions. Lei your misnonai 



262 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM. 



according to their fitness for the duties 
assigned them. Lay aside all individual 
preferences, and let true merit be the high- 
est credential required. Send them out 
under the auspices and pay of the parent 
association, that they may labor wholly 
and unreservedly for the general good, 
and not for the selfish purpose of gain. 
Let your commendations and preferences 
be for those who are most untiringly and 
unselfishly devoted to the promotion of 
the cause whose chosen representatives 
they are. Should this suggestion be 
acted upon, it would give a great impetus 
to the cause, which, in many places, now 
languishes for the assistance which could 
thus be rendered. Every person having 
even one talent could be made available, 
and many of your needy mediums could 
be usefully and remuneratively em- 
ployed in a work, the grandeur of which 
time alone can reveal. The greatest ob- 
stacle to the rapid advancement of Spirit- 
ualism is the lack of thorough, sys- 
tematic organization. United you will 
stand, divided you will fall, or, at least, 
fall short of the accomplishment of the 
greater good a combination of forces 
would effect. 

Some objectors claim that organiza- 
tion would have a retrograde tendency — 
that Spiritualists would fossilize and 
their associations degenerate into creed- 
bound bodies. This supposition, from a 
spiritual standpoint, is fallacious. True 
Spiritualism can have but one creed, 
and that is unrestricted liberty of opin- 
ion for all. There is no fossilization 
possible in that — on the contrary, it 
assumes a steady onward and upward 
march toward the perfection of Spiritual 
growth and attainment. Not only have 
all religious bodies recognized organiza- 
tion as a vital step, but in all the various 
departments of life it is a recognized 
necessity for the accomplishment of any 
desirable end. The working men and 
women of this country have discovered 
this effective weapon of power, and are 
forming leagues and unions for the pur- 
pose of self-defense against the encroach- 
ments and tyrannies of capitalists. The 



future will reveal the wisdom of this 
course, for thereby will the differences 
between capital and labor be adjusted 
by peaceful arbitration, and the lava- 
tide of rapine, murder, and war, which 
for a time threatened the life of the 
republic, will be averted. Every throne 
in Europe stands upon a foundation of 
straw, and ultimately the tempests that 
are agitating the great sea of humanity 
will sweep over 1hem, and wash into the 
ocean of oblivion the last vestige of hu- 
man tyranny and oppression. Then 
will the new republic arise from the 
ruins of old monarchies, clothed with 
majesty and power, representing the 
rights and interests of every human be- 
ing alike, black and white, red and yel- 
low, male and female. Then will the 
goddess of liberty no longer be a hollow 
mockery to one-half the human family, 
and that the half she now so unjustly 
symbolizes, but with universal liberty 
for her watchword, the new republic 
shall welcome to her counsels the fathers 
and mothers of the nation, and together 
they will legislate wisely and well, bring- 
ing into requisition woman's love and 
tenderness, her deep spirituality and 
clear intuition, combined with man's 
larger experience, his courage, skill, and 
intellectual greatness. The machinery 
of government will be adjusted to meet 
the requirements of all the great variety 
of peoples and conditions, and administer 
justice to all. 

Spiritualism does not ask its votaries 
to build magnificent temples wherein to 
worship, for the spirit of truth is every- 
where present, and can come to you in the 
humblest home, or in the open fields, 
with only the canopy of heaven above 
30U and the green earth beneath your 
feet. It only asks you to build the tem- 
ples of love and charity in your own 
hearts, that the spirit of peace which 
passeth understanding, may come in and 
abide with you. Open wide the windows 
of these temples that the angels may 
come and go, bringing and leaving their 
beneficent gifts, which you in turn shall 
dispense to others, for in the giving of 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM 



263 



truth shall you be abundantly blessed. 
We would impress upon you the import- 
ance of earnestness of purpose. Do 
not undertake anything until you are 
fully and deeply imbued with its import- 
ance, then bring into the work all the en- 
ergies of soul of which you are possessed. 
Have faith in yourselves and in the ulti- 
mate success of your labors, and rest as- 
sured the word failure will never be 
written on your brow. If men and 
women could only be made to believe in 
themselves, to realize the grand, god-like 
powers lying dormant within them — 
realize that all things are possible to the 
truly awakened and illuminated soul — 
they would rise above all the lower ele- 
ments of their material surroundings and 
become as gods and goddesses in strength 
and wisdom. They would hold the ele- 
ments of the material universe in their 
grasp, and all would be subject to their 
will. They have been told they were but 
poor weak worms of the dust, totally 
depraved, until it is a wonder there is 
even as much true nobility in the world 
as there is. Strive to outgrow and forget 
the errors of the past; strive to have 
more faith in the saving power of truth, 
honor and goodness, than in any per- 
sonal savior. 

Spiritualism teaches that eternal pro- 
gression is the destiny of all, and those 
who can realize the full meaning of this 
will find it a great assistance in every re- 
lation of life to be just and charitable to 
every one. Remember, that person who 
has spoken unkindly of you, who has 
tried in various ways to injure you, and 
for whom you feel such an aversion, is 
destined sometime to become a bright and 
shining angel. Can you then afford t<> 
hate that beautiful one so full of love, 
tenderness, and purity, the angel that is 
to be ? Would you not rather through 
your kindness and gentleness, through 
your forgiving helpfulness, assist that 
person to begin the divine life now — to 
begin now to retrace false Btepfl and 
eradicate erroneous opinions } 

If all men could become imbued with 

this fundamental principle of spiritual- 



ism — universal brotherhood — a great ad- 
vance step would be taken in the reform- 
ation of the world, for then no one would 
wish to meet his brother on the field of 
battle. Human life would then be held 
in greater reverence, and the millions of 
treasure now expended in human butch- 
ery would be used to make more beauti- 
ful and attractive this world in which 
you live. There would be but one army, 
and that would indeed be the grand 
army of the great, universal Republic, 
whose watchwords would be freedom, 
equality, fiaternity. Reunions of that 
grand arm}- would bring no sad memo- 
ries of dark days of carnage, no heart- 
rending partings with loved ones, when 
the clinging grasp of little darlings, the 
agonized farewells of wife, sister, mother, 
daughter, filled the air with pain, as 
they kissed perhaps for the last time, 
the dear ones departing to slay or be 
slain. There would come no tearful 
memories of far-off graves beneath sunny, 
Southern skies, no recollections of hor- 
rible prisons, where starvation with all 
its untold agonies was the warden that 
opened at last the prison doors to many 
a brave boy in blue, and revealed to him 
the glories and beauties of the immortal 
Kingdom, where the nations of the earth 
learn war no more. Instead of a dark 
picture of sorrow would come a bright 
vision of gladness, wherein would be pre- 
served the memory of noble deeds oi 
love, tenderness, and merc\, whose radi- 
ance makes life bright and beautiful. 

When universal brotherhood is run- 
nized in your political world what a 
revolution will have been wrought. In- 
stead of tin- poverty, crime, and inequal- 
ity, the gross injustice and corruption of 
tawaand law makers, justice will 
throned tin- empress of the world. The 
schemer, who now by tricks oi trade 
called legitimate business, defrauds the 
laborer of tin- product of his toil, win 

then find it impossible to amass millions ..I 

dollars, while an honest man may toil a 
lifetime for a ban- subsistence, u 

said: "Taxation without r e pr ese ntation 

is tyranny." When justice nil. 



264 



PRACTICAL SPIRITUALISM. 



will not see this vital principle, upon 
which the foundation of your government 
rests, ignored by your legislators. This 
principle is now applied only to the 
male portion of the common- wealth, 
while the females, who, in many in- 
stances, own property, the direct fruit of 
their own labor, are taxed and allowed 
no voice in the matter whatever. 

Woman should ever love and bless 
Spiritualism, for it has done more toward 
breaking down the barriers of sex and 
opening wider fields of usefulness and 
freedom for her, than any other "ism" 
the world has ever known. The wheels 
of progress will never cease turning until 
equality shall exist, not in name only, 
but in all the outward manifestations, 
social, religious, and political. If Spirit- 
ualism cannot inaugurate this reform for 
humanity — if it cannot set free the 
captives — if it cannot uplift the down- 
trodden, and revolutionize and Spiritual- 
ize all stratas of society — then are all 
the ministrations of the angel world 
useless, and all the beautiful sermons 
delivered from spiritual platforms but 
vain and empty words. If you cannot 
bring it into your daily lives as a divine, 
living reality, and practise its beautiful 
teachings, then are you, indeed, no bet- 
ter than those who for eighteen hundred 
years have preached "peace on earth, 
good will to men," and have practised 
with the sword. Now the time has come 
when the sword of the spirit, which is 
love, mercy, gentleness, charity, long- 
suffering, patience, and forbearance with 
one another, must prevail; now must the 
old yet new commandment " that ye love 
one another," be practised. If the Mil- 
lenial day, so long foretold by the proph- 
ets, poets, and seers, ever dawns upon 
the earth, it will come as a result of 
obedience to this command, and by the 
daily application of the golden rule. In 
the light of this elevating philosophy we 
find a remedy for all the inharmonious 
and discordant elements of life. 

Spiritual light and truth work from 
within outward; and for every manifesta- 
tion of inharmony we must seek the 



cause in the realm of causation, not in 
the world of effects. We must look into 
the spiritual condition of the individual 
for the seat of the outward demonstra- 
tion; and, rest assured, if the world 
seems to you a dark and dreary wilder- 
ness, with no sunny, peaceful glades and 
still waters, it is because the unrest is 
within — the darkness is of your own 
spiritual state and does not in reality 
exist in the world of loveliness around 
you. If you are disconsolate and un- 
happy; if you miss the brightness of love 
and the tenderness of affection; if you 
fail to find truth and goodness, virtue 
and happiness, then look within for the 
cause. Go down deep into the recesses 
of your own soul, and there you will find 
the discordant note — there you will find 
the instrument which is out of tune, 
producing all these inharmonies which 
so mar your peace and enjoyment. Har- 
monize yourself and you will be aston- 
ished at the divine melodies of life, at 
the goodness and virtue of your fellow- 
men. When you have done this — when 
you place yourself in a state of passive 
receptivity to beneficent influences — you 
will feel a divine afflatus lifting you into 
a state of mental ecstasy you never before 
dreamed of. You will find yourselves liv- 
ing in two worlds at a time, the world of 
spiritual love, light, and beauty, and the 
material world of w T ork and duty, which 
is made sacred and holy by being 
blended and united with the higher 
sphere enveloping it. That it is possible 
to attain to this state of blessedness and 
peace is well known, for there are those 
in your midst w r ho have realized it. 
There are those who, while living in the 
flesh, are not of it, in the sense you are 
accustomed to regard life physical. They 
live and move in the vestibule of celes- 
tial habitations; they consort with angels, 
and when their earthly vestments fall 
away, and their earthly tabernacles are 
dismantled — when the Grand Master con- 
fers the next degree — they will be prepared 
to go up higher, and still higher, through 
the great grand lodge of heaven, until 
the height of perfection is attained. 



HOW THE ANGELS COME. 



Softly, silently, tenderly, lovingly, 
Glide they in heart and in home; 

Bearing sweet messages whispered so gently — 
'Tis thus, that the dear angels come. 

Guiding and guarding, entreating and saving 
Loved ones who in danger might roam; 

With beautiful blossoms each weary path 
paving — 
'Tis thus, that the dear angels come. 

Comforting mourners, healing heart-broken, 

Forgetting or slighting not one; 
Bringing to each some fond treasured token — 

'Tis thus, that the dear angels come. 

Whispering of hope unto souls that are griev- 
ing 

For dearly loved ones they deem gone; 
Telling of joys beyond mortal conceiving — 

'Tis thus, that the dear angels dome. 

Hovering over the sull'erer's pillow, 

Into the death-shadowed home; 

Bearing your darlings safe o'er tie dark 
billow — 
'Tis thus, that the dear angela come. 

Joyfully greeting the newly-born spirit, 
Bidding it Bweel " welcome hone- " 

Into the mansions that all will inherit— 
'Tis thus, that the dear angels come. 



COOPERATION. 



How little mortals understand the 
value or meaning of cooperation in its 
broad humanitarian significance. Some 
spiritually illuminated minds have come 
into the sphere of intelligence where 
they could receive impressions from the 
master minds in spirit life, who are 
working through every available chan- 
nel to introduce this system among 
mortals. They have witnessed the strug- 
gles and defeats, the want, wo, and 
misery attending the competitive system 
in vogue at this time, and have seen with 
pain and sorrow its disastrous effects 
upon the human race. Instead of the 
universal brotherhood of man, they be- 
hold the universal spirit of greed and 
avarice prevailing, which stimulates the 
stronger to overreach and destroy the 
weaker. They see giant monopolies of 
wealth and power filling the coffers of 
the rich to overflowing, enabling them 
to build palace homes, where, sur- 
rounded with luxury, and surfeited with 
the sensuous pleasures of life, the idle 
inmates riot in extravagances, while 
those who have been defeated in this 
struggle for wealth — the toilers, by 
whose sweat and very life blood these 
gigantic fortunes have been amassed, are 
living in poverty and degradation, their 
meager pittance from day to day being 
scarcely sufficient to keep gaunt hunger 
from the door, or to protect the weak 
and helpless from the fury of the storm. 

Every day the lines are being closer 
drawn, and the gulf between the rich 
and poor is growing deeper and broader. 
Aristocracy founded upon wealth is rear- 
ing its hydra-head in the bosom of our 
great Republic. Striving to ape the 
titled aristocrats of Kurope, who have 
inherited colossal fortunes from their 
robber ancestors, whose motto "might 
makes right " still prevails, the people of 
America are rapidly drifting into the 
errors of their European forefathers, and 
may not discover their mistake until, 
fired with the love of liberty, and burn- 



ing with indignation under the wrongs 
inflicted by their money-masters, the 
spirit of revolution will become aroused, 
and what has been denied by peaceful 
asking will be taken by force of arms. 

In order to avert the impending crisis, 
which is slowly but surely approaching, 
there is one remedy — cooperation. Let 
the rich put in their capital — gold — 
against the laborer's capital — muscle — 
and each endeavor to aid the other; in 
fact, let a spirit of humanity and brother- 
hood prevail, and soon the dangers 
which now threaten will be avoided, 
and peace and plenty smile upon our 
land. 

Then will the wail of the widows and 
orphans cease; the cry of hunger and dis- 
tress no longer be heard; our cities will 
contain no squalid pestilence-breeding 
quarters where sin, shame, and crime 
riot in their own degradation. Instead of 
vast tracts of land being kept w r aste and 
idle in the hands of crafty speculators, 
there will be thousands of homes, culti- 
vated farms, orchards, and vineyards, 
whose golden grains and luscious fruits 
will feast and gladden those long used to 
meager fare of coarsest food. 

Going through our cities, the painful 
sights of the decrepit old beggar, the 
pinched, pale features of ragged, destitute 
children, the brazen, dissolute faces of 
wantons peering from their dingy case- 
ments, and inviting to their iniquitous 
dens the innocent youth as well as the 
grey-haired man, the discordant revels of 
besotted, drunken creatures, from whose 
bleared eyes and bloated faces almost 
every trace of mauhood has departed, all 
these unpleasant sights and sounds will 
be seen and heard no more, for the 
causes which produce such deplorable 
conditions will have been done away 
with under the new orderly system of 
true fraternity, based upon cooperation 
and mutual helpfulness, instead of the 
soul and body destroying system of com- 
petition. 



TREASURES IN HEAVEN. 



"Naked came man into the world and 
naked goeth he forth." Gold bags, 
bonds, stocks, and palace homes — all 
havej to be^left behind when the rich 
man launches his lonely barque upon the 
unknown sea of death. He enters the 
other life as the pauper's babe enters 
this. His treasures were all laid up on 
earth and he is a penniless tramp over 
there. The few good deeds, the few 
charities bestowed, weigh but little in 
the scales against what might have been 
done. 

Charity that takes nothing needed 
from the giver is not charity but selfish- 



ness. It is parting with something that 
cannot be used and getting in return the 
undeserved title of a public benefactor 
and great philanthropist. It is little 
credit to a man who has lived in luxury 
and ease and accumulated millions from 
the toil of others, when he finds himself 
nearing the grave to give back a small 
portion of what he cannot take along, to 
some public charity. Such giving does 
not count much as " treasures in heaven." 
It is as worthless as counterfeit coin, and 
will not pass in the business circles of 
the New Jerusalem. 



NONA 



A happy, joyous little sprite, 

With rosy checks and eye- bo bright, 
Coming with love's own blessed light, 
I- pi( cioUB Nona. 

So full nf mirthfulness and glee 

Like singing hint, bright, glad alld flee, 
A- hil-y :^ t he honey hee 

1- darling Nona. 
She comes with gentle Loving power 

To BOOthe us when the stoim-elouds lower 

she changes storm to springtime shower 
Dear aplrll Nona. 



l [er mission Is to cheer ami hie--. 
And comfort those in deep distress 
With words of love and tenderness 
swcii angel Nona. 



THE INFLUENCE OF CHEERFULNESS. 



Dear readers, do you ever stop to con- 
sider what shall be the result, the out- 
come of good that shall follow your 
labors in whatever way they may be 
directed? Did you ever think that every 
word and deed, no matter how insignifi- 
cant and unimportant they might seem, 
were shaping the lives and destinies in 
some degree of those around you? Did 
you ever realize that you were in a meas- 
ure responsible for the good or bad con- 
duct of those with whom you daily 
associate, and that your responsibility 
was in the proportion of your personal 
influence upon those with whom you 
came in contact? If you have never 
thought of these things may you now 
resolve to do so; for in no other manner 
can you learn so successfully the lesson 
of prudence and the value of example as 
a teacher. The finest sermons, the most 
eloquent, spiritual, and inspiring dis- 
courses are lost upon the hearers when 
they come from one whose life is a denial 
of the truths uttered. In the home, in 
societ}', business, and all the affairs of 
life, the potential influence of an un- 
selfish upright person is felt and mani- 
fested in the lives and conduct of those 
with whom such individuals daily asso- 
ciate. How often has it been remarked 
in the home that one cross, ill-tempered 
person could bring a "reign of terror" 
through the entire household. A harsh 
word, a sour look from one member of 



the family is quite sufficient to induce an 
element of discord and inharmony that 
will be felt throughout the entire day, 
and carry its baneful influence into the 
business office of the father, the school- 
room where the children are sent, and 
hang like a pall of darkness over the 
mother who remains at her tasks in the 
home. Is it not, then, a duty of first 
importance to cultivate cheerfulness, to 
put away the sour visage, the long face, 
and in its stead cultivate a smile where 
the frown once habitually rested? Smile 
mechanically if you must at first, but 
smile anyhow; and when you get into 
the habit of it, the spirit of mirthfulness 
and happiness will prompt the smiling, 
and it will no longer require an effort on 
your part to do so. As you grow cheer- 
ful and pleasant the cares and crosses of 
life that once weighed so heavily upon 
you, crushing out the joys and hopes 
that blossomed in the springtime of 
youth, will all disappear, and your load 
of care grow lighter each day as the 
effort to appear cheerful is successful. 
There is nothing like a sunny face to 
brighten the darkness of the way so 
many are obliged to travel. It is 
strength, it is hope, it is courage, and it 



To the sunny soul that is full of hope, 
And whose beautiful trust never fadeth, 

The sky is clear, and the flowers abloom, 
Though the wintry storm prevaileth." 



PRESS ONWARD. 



Amid all the trials and tribulations of 
life, its clouds and darkness, there shines 
forever one star brighter than all the rest; 
it is the Star of Hope. Its clear, pure rays 
illumine the deepest night-time of our 
lives, and inspires and encourages us to 



press onward over rough places and al- 
most insurmountable obstacles until the 
highway is gained, and the sunshine 
floods the vales of life with glory, and 
success crowns all our efforts. It is the 
Star of Hope gleaming over the mad bil- 






TO AN AGED FRIEND. 



269 



lows that gives courage to the storm- 
tossed mariner in his hour of deadly peril. 
Its tender beams penetrate the smoke of 
battle-fields, and as the soldier catches 
faint glimpses of their radiance, in them 
he beholds his far-off home, where wife 
and babes await his return; and the 
sweet vision nerves his arm to nobler 
deeds of daring, and courageously he 
presses on to vanquish the foe. 

In the gloomy prison -cell where brood 
dark shadows of unforgiven crime, the 
blood-stained convict sits and dreams of 
by-gone days when a free and innocent 
child he roamed the fields at will. A 
light streams in upon him. It is the 
Star of Hope, and it in he sees the dawn of 
a new and brighter future in which he is 
once more a man, redeeming past errors 
and sins by a life of labor for others' 
good. And as the vision fades, it leaves 
the hardened criminal penitent and self- 
accusing, ready to retrieve his lost man- 
hood at any cost of physical suffering to 
himself; and to many such the dawn 



conies not before, but follows the night 
of death. 

Angel visitors bear to stricken mortals 
the beautiful star-beams of a deathless 
hope, of an abiding trust, which to 
many becomes absolute knowledge of a 
brighter world than this, where the 
broken cords of affection shall be united, 
and the sweet, beautiful dreams which 
faded so suddenly will become the living 
verities of existence. 

They sing to us of " the beautiful home 
over there," until the cares and annoy- 
ances of life seem infinitisimally small 
and inconsequential in comparison with 
the eternity which lies before us wherein 
we can attain the mountain heights of 
aspiration and noble endeavor. 

Let us all press onward more resolutely 
than ever to the attainment of our high- 
est, purest desires, and most worthy am- 
bitions, hoping and trusting that — 

Sometime, somewhere, good will fall 
Like a bright mantle over all. 



TO AN AGE I) FRIEND. 



You may not know the band 

Which guides your fragile bark; 
You may not Bee the laud 

Through clouds BO thick ;ind dark; 
Yet know, dear one, you're near the 

shore; 

Tlii.s tumult is the breakers' roar. 



Fear not, though clouds of mist and 
Bpray 
Obscure the green-clad hills, 

Where golden BUn beams diuicr :ind 
play, 

Where murmur sparkling rills; 
There loved ones wall with outstretched 
bauds 

To greet you on the shining -amis. 



THE VALUE OF THE PHENOMENA OF 
SPIRITUALISM. 



A. Wilford Hall, author of "The Prob- 
lem of Human Life," says: "The much 
derided, much doubted, and much be- 
lieved in physical phenomena of Spirit- 
ualism — the tipping of tables and chairs 
— would come in and prove useful, and 
even invaluable, in demonstrably crush- 
ing out materialism, could these physical 
manifestations be absolutely established 
without the possibility of collusion or 
trickery. Such visible and sensible man- 
ifestations would be demonstrative of 
the substantial nature of man's vital and 
mental being, and would utterly wipe 
out materialism by physical tests, the 
one thing so much courted by advanced 
scientists." This admission is made by 
a man of letters — a man who attempts 
in the above-mentioned work to review 
Darwin, Huxley, Tyndall, Haeckel, Helm- 
holtz, and Mayer, and overthrow the 
theory of man's evolution from the lower 
orders of life, and answer affirmatively 
the question, "Are we destined to live 
after this earthly pilgrimage is ended? " 
It shows how very ignorant a learned 
man may be — ignorant of the existence 
of the very facts which he admits would 
demonstrate the immortality of the soul 
and " utterly wipe out materialism." 
We, who have investigated, know that 
these facts abound; that the spirits of the 
so-called dead do communicate with those 



in the material form; we know they can 
move ponderous bodies — tables, chairs, 
pianos, and even persons have been car- 
ried about in seance rooms above the 
heads of the company present. The 
writer was at one time, in the presence 
of Henry Slade, lifted in her chair sev- 
eral feet from the floor, with no visible 
force applied. This was done in a bright, 
sunny room, in the presence of four wit- 
nesses. It was done in response to the 
request of Mr. Slade, showing an intelli- 
gence present that could see and hear, 
and had the power to comply. If inert 
matter cannot move itself, what force in 
nature is it that moves these bodies ? It 
cannot be electricity or magnetism, as 
some are ready to affirm, for there is no 
intelligence in these forces. The body of 
a dead man possesses no more intelli- 
gence than the block of marble above 
him; it is a mass of inert matter; whence 
then has the intelligence which once 
guided its movements flown ? Is there 
any process in Nature by which it could 
have been destroyed or annihilated ? 
How much more reasonable and natural 
to suppose that this power is just what it 
claims to be — our dear departed kindred 
and friends, who are seeking to unveil 
the mysteries which have so long 
shrouded in gloom and uncertainty the 
future of humanity. 



IS SPIRITUALISM A SCIENCE? 



Herbert Spencer asks: "What is sci- 
ence ? To see the absurdity of the preju- 
dice against it, we need only remark that 
science is simply a higher development 
of common knowledge, and if science is 
repudiated, all knowledge must be repu- 
diated along with it." 



Huxley says: " Knowledge upon many 
subjects grows to be more and more per- 
fect, and when it becomes to be so accu- 
rate and sure that it is capable of being 
proved to persons of suitable intelligence, 
it is called science. The science of any 
subject is the highest and most exact 



SOMETIME. 



'7* 



knowledge upon that subject." If the 
definition here given be a correct one, 
then we need no argument to prove the 
scientific basis upon which rests the 
Spiritual philosophy, for Spiritualism "is 
capable of being pi oved to persons of suitable 
intelligence" as thousands of earnest, 
thoughtful investigators can testify, who 
have demonstrated its facts under the 
most crucial test conditions; hence, it 
must be admitted that Spiritualism is a 
Science, and Herbert Spencer says that 



" if Science is repudiated, all knowledge 
must be repudiated along with it.'' Now 
what can our opponents do about it? 
These statements are made by men who 
are recognized authority, learned sci- 
entists. Let us then, as Spiritualists, 
take comfort in the thought that if the 
scientific demonstration of Spiritualism ij 
repudiated, all knowledge must he repudiated 
along with it. There is the whole thing 
in a nutshell. 



SOMETIME. 



Sometime, my child, when all is o'er, 
And memory backward turns 

From some grand height, on fairer shore 
Where loveliglit ever burns 

With no uncertain, flickering ray, 

As earthly loves oft do, 
But shining like eternal day, 
Soft, gentle, tender, true — 

You'll Bee how well the guiding hand 

1 [as 1« d your faltering feet, 
O'er thorny roads to that fair land, 
To rest in places Bweet. 

5Tou'll sec divines! love in .ill 
These t rials bo severe; 

And through them hear the angel's call, 
"Come nearer, child, eonie near.'' 

1 haw closer tut he I I «:i I t of I ,'>\ I •. 

Whose arms are open \\ Ide; 
Seek Bhelter there; no Btorms can move 

The BOUl W In re love alnd- -. 



There, only, i-> perpel ual spring, 

There, only, peace la r<>inid ; 
There, fairest buds are blossoming, 
There, angels liover Kin ud 



OPEN DOORS FOR CLERGYMEN. 



Not long since we heard a clergyman 
say that whenever Spiritualists could 
open doors for ministers to enter into 
spiritual work and be assured of a living 
support, there would be a stampede from 
Orthodox pulpits to the liberal platforms 
of Spiritualism. Many clergymen, he 
said, were only waiting to see Spiritual- 
ists united and organized in strong so- 
cieties, to step down and out of the pulpit 
forever and enter into the broader field 
of usefulness offered by Spiritualism. 
Men who have devoted their lives to pul- 
pit work are unfitted by education and 
training to enter any field of labor not in 
the line of their acquired tendencies. 
They cannot successfully till the soil, use 
the ax, saw, or hammer; neither can they 
enter other professions with hope of suc- 
cessfully competing with those who have 
been trained to fill them. The lecture 
platform offers splendid inducements to 
those who have something to say and 
know how to say it; but where one man 
can command public attention and sup- 
port by his powerful oratory and brilliant 
intellectual efforts, a thousand men would 
fail utterly unless backed by some society 
organization. 

The platforms of spiritual societies are, 
in many instances, occupied by speakers 
of indifferent attainments, who depend 
entirely upon the inspiration of the occa- 



sion for what they have to say. Where 
such persons are highly mediumistic, 
and susceptible to the impression given 
them from intelligent spirits, they suc- 
ceed in giving instructive lectures; but 
in the greater number of instances the 
result is unsatisfactory to listeners who 
have been accustomed to forming words 
into sentences that express something. 
Such people cannot be satisfied with 
words that merely "jingle" together like 
pennies in a boy's pocket. 

We have heard " inspirational " speak- 
ers talk glibly for an hour or more, fling- 
ing words together in all sorts of fantastic 
groups, and, when they had finished, the 
bewildered listeners could not tell what 
had been said. Not one new thought 
had been advanced, and even old ones 
had been so distorted and twisted as to 
be rendered meaningless. When Spirit- 
ualists are thoroughly organized and 
systematized in their methods of impart- 
ing instruction, we shall have schools 
for the training of speakers. Then me- 
diums may be educated in the philosophy 
of Spiritualism, and learn to present it 
in a clear and comprehensive manner. 
When this shall have been accomplished, 
the talented men and women now in Or- 
thodox pulpits will make our most apt 
and ready pupils and most successful 
teachers. 



OUR AIM. 



The paramount aim of the Carrier Dove 
is to present a practical, every-day Spirit- 
ualism that will assist the people into 
higher physical, mental, and spiritual 
conditions; a Spiritualism that takes 
hold of the live issues of the day, and 
from its higher, purer plane reflects light 
upon the darkness, and imparts wisdom 



to the ignorant; that will bring order out 
of chaos, and plant the white banners of 
peace upon the field of strife and discord. 
We do not wish to expatiate so much 
upon the beatitudes of a life to come— of 
a beautiful "summer land " in the " sweet 
bye-and-bye," as we wish to learn how to 
start a "summer land " here and now. 



THE SPIRITUAL OUTLOOK 



273 



where the sweet, rare plants of human 
love, true friendship, and that much- 
talked-of " charity " may find congenial 
soil in which to take root and send forth 
their fragrant blossoms. We want a 
"summer land " right here, where every 
child of humanity shall have a home, 
food, and raiment, and where the unfor- 
tunate and erring who are waiting, hop- 
ing and praying that they may have an- 
other chance, when they get over there, 
can have that chance here instead. We 
look about us, and on every hand see the 
lavish bounties of Nature. We see broad, 
fruitful valleys and plains, where shin- 
ing harvests yield their golden grain. 
We see orchards, vineyards, and " cattle 
upon a thousand hills," flocks of fowl, 
herds of sheep and swine— in fact, every- 
thing that the mind of man can conceive 
of that would contribute to his comfort 
and happiness. We see vast mountain 
ranges, great oceans, extensive conti- 
nents covered with grand forests, crystal 
lakes and shining rivers. There is room 
enough for every living creature, man or 
beast, upon the broad surface of this 
beautiful world, the natural resources of 
which belong to them— its offspring. 

Who is to blame that the children of 
the planet are defrauded of their birth- 
right? Who is to blame that thousands 
live and die in the most abject poverty, 
yea, even starve for the pitiful amount 



necessary to support life, when sur- 
rounded with plenty; die like dogs for a 
crust of bread within a stone's throw of 
overflowing granaries, and piles heaped 
up of shining gold and silver? Who is 
the arbiter of human destiny that has 
hedged us in with such monstrous laws 
and unjust conditions? Who but man him- 
self; and man alone can save himself from 
this degradation. The great creative 
power of the universe has not been parsi- 
monious of His bounties. The material 
is at hand for a first-class heaven, "with- 
out money and without price," if human- 
ity would but pre-empt its claim. It is 
the mission of Spiritualism to teach the 
ignorant their rights and duties here and 
now. For ages millions of self-disin- 
herited human beings have yielded their 
natural rights to a share of the physical 
comforts necessary to material life, and 
passed into the spiritual world defrauded 
and beggared. These spirits, more wiser 
grown, are now endeavoring to impress 
upon humanity the importance of right 
physical conditions for the perfect unfold - 
ment of the higher and spiritual nature of 
the race. It is to bring about such im- 
proved conditions here that all true 
Spiritualists should labor in harmony 
with those of larger experience from 
spiritual spheres, until at last the kingdom 

Of heaven will, indeed, have come U] 00 

the earth. 



THE SPIRITUAL OUTLOOK 



" Watchman, what of the night ? What 

of the night?" The night has pa 

It is dawn now. Do you not see the 

golden tinge of the ESastern sky ? it is the 
herald of a new day. What of the new 
day? Shall we tell you? it is a day 
pregnant with new joys, new hopes, and 
new blessedness, it i^ the day which 

poets have BUUg of, prophets have proph- 
esied, seers have described, and tin- 
hearts of all humanity have longingly 
waited for. A day of promise; a day of 



peace; a day when justice shall triumph 

when great wrongs shall be redressed, 

when right, not might, shall rule, it is 

a day when tin- m-u light from the upper 

heavens shall ll 1 the world with its 

glory. Then Error, the child <>f Ignor- 
ance and Superstition, will die, and 
Truth. ed Truth, daught 

uid Wisdom, w ill walk your 

clad in her shining robes, unsullied by 
contact with evil, i«>i evil shall hai 
ished. it titiona 



274 



RECOMPENSE. 



of the past, which have hung like a dark 
pall over the world, shall roll away, and 
the light of heavenly truth shed its illu- 
minating rays where heretofore darkness 
brooded over all. It is a day when the 
gods born of the perverted imaginations 
of ignorant men, and endowed with the 
attributes of revengeful, merciless, unfor- 
giving fiends, shall give place to the liv- 
ing realities of angelic ministrants who 
bear only love, peace, forgiveness, and 
blessings unto the suffering children of 
earth — coming among them on errands 
of mercy, comforting the sorrowing, and 
healing the afflicted, until, under the 
influence of their loving ministrations, 
their lessons of wisdom, their pure and 
holy examples, mankind will turn from 
evil and seek only that which is good, 
true, and beautiful, obeying the higher 
laws of life, the consequence of which 



will be that disease will vanish, and all 
its attendant train of evils. Death will 
then come to the perfected man as comes 
the autumn winds to the yellow leaf, 
causing it to drop noiselessly and peace- 
fully among its fallen kindred, while the 
spirit goes out into a new form of beauty 
and perfection. It will come only to the 
fully ripened grain, leaving the tender 
young buds and blossoms to fill the earth 
with their beauty and fragrance. Such 
is the new day which is dawning. Pre- 
pare yourselves, O mortals, for the divine 
quickening which shall follow its full 
dawn. Spiritual forces are being devel- 
oped and concentrated, and very soon 
their mighty power will be felt among 
the children of earth as never before. 
Make yourselves ready temples in which 
the spirit of Truth can enter and abide 
forever. 



RECOMPENSE. 



Patience, dear heart, thine own shall come 
Sure as the waves break on the shore; 

Sure as the stars and placid moon 
Shall come with night, forevermore. 

Thy spirit long has sought its mate, 
And grieved that death was everywhere; 

Patience, a little longer wait, 
Love holds for thee a bounteous share 

Of all the joys thy soul doth seek, 
Of all thy fondest dreams of bliss, 

And sweeter than the words we speak, 
Shall be love's token and love's kiss. 

This precious heritage hath all 
Earth's children; though for some 

No voice respondeth to their call; 
The lips of love seem cold and dumb. 



Yet sometime, somewhere, love meets love, 
Soul unto soul its greetings send, 

And hearts attuned, in sweet accord, 
In heavenly unison shall blend. 



'BEHOLD, THE DAWN COMETH. 1 ' 






These words seem especially prophetic 
to Spiritualists just at the present time. 
The night, with its gloom, its blackness 
and horror, is upon us; and in our anx- 
iety and almost despair for the safety of 
the cause we love a voice whispers softly 
and sweet, " Behold, the Dawn Cometh.'' 
Reassured and hopeful for the best, we 
are again receptive to angelic aid and 
inspiration, and through the mists of 
doubt and skepticism which surround 
us on all sides, we behold with spiritual 
vision the green fields of waving grain, 
the flower-decked hills and sparkling, 
crystal streams. We behold beauty, 
harmony, and peace, succeeding the 
destruction and overthrow of the idols of 
the past, and following in the wake of the 
tempest. What has been uprooted and 
destroyed has been the useless and 
worthless; error has been smitten, and 
Truth still lives. 

'Twas but the wasting of the bad, 

The ruin of the wrong and ill: 
What e'er of good the old-time had, 

Is living still. 

Nothing true and good can ever perish; 
and if the seeming evil has caused any 
to lose faith in the truth, let them renew 

their faith, for the truth is immutable 

and cannot die. A sifting process, which 
was absolutely necessary to the life ol the 
cause, has been inaugurated and the 
chaff has been severed, in part, from the 

wheat, and much that has been regarded 
as golden grain has been found to be 

worthless chaii. N<» one should grieve 

or murmur at this work; it is tin- work 

of the angel world just as much as the 
first little raps at Hydesville were their 
work. They have witnessed the unholy 
desecration of their gifts on tin- pari "i 
some of their instruments, who, tor i<>\e 
of gain, have sold their birthrights for 
messes of pottage; thej have witn< 



the most sacred feeling of the human 
heart made the butt of ridicule and 
devilish mockery by the human vampires 
who trade upon grief, and grow fat upon 
the mourner's tears. They have witnessed 
the young and innocent made the tools of 
wicked, designing, unscrupulous men and 
women, to carry on their nefarious traffic, 
and play upon the affections and loves of 
their deluded victims. No wonder that 
they have caused the temptst to burst 
upon us, and arouse us from the stupor, 
apathy, and indifference into which the 
whole body of Spiritualists had fallen. 

The spirit world saw how the true and 
genuine mediums were crowded to the 
wall, while the false and spurious were 
eulogized and exalted; they saw dis- 
couragement and despair in the hearts of 
the workers, and determined that the 
idols of iniquity should be overthrown, 

the masks removed from the faces, that 
all might be known for their worth alone. 
That has been done, and the ci uel ulcers 

that were destroying the life of the cause 

were laid bare 1" the gaze of the world. 
No wonder that honor and disgUSt have 

followed the revelation, and that s ( ,,m- 
have turned away, thinking tin- whole 
body rotten also; hut not s,., friends; be- 
ueatb all outward seeming <•! ill, the 
beautiful Irnlh lies lair and lovely still, 
waiting i"i brave, true hands to pluck 
away the rubbish with which it baa 
covered, and it will stand before the world 
spotless and undefiled in all its native 
purity and lov< liness. Let us tak< 
courage, frienda, and patient! 3 wait and 
trust. Let us in iug forth oui fa< 
refutation ol false charges, and d< 

to the world that our foundation 

rests not upon the shifting sands, but 

upon iheeternal ro< k ol truth, and cannot 
be shaken or overthrown. Be faith fnl, 

Vigilant, and u.ili hlul, lor the daw n 

com< ih on i] • ■ . 



THE VOICE OF ANGELS, 



Listen! 'tis the Voice of Angels 
Ringing through the crystal sky; 

Hear you not their sweet evangels, 
As to earth they now draw nigh? 

Oh, ye sorrow-stricken mortals, 
Listen to the news we bring: 

Love has opened death's dark portals- 
Let the joyful tidings ring. 

Lonely mourner, cease your weeping — 
Death is but ihe door to life, 

And your loved ones are not sleeping, 
But set free from pain and strife 

They now live where fields are vernal 

With a never-fading bloom; 
Crowned with Love and Life Eternal, 

Far from shade or taint of tomb. 

Let your voices join with gladness 
With the Voice of Angels dear, 

Till each soul now bowed with sadness 
Shall the heavenly music hear. 



ONE DAY. 



Oh blessed day so fair and sweet! 

Memory will fondly hold thee fast 
When all the days of earth are past, 

And heaven's joys be more complete 

For that one day of perfect bliss— 
When angel presence, angel love 

Breathed benedictions from above 
And sanctified thee with love's kiss. 



THE SUMMER IS COMING. 

The years may pass with footsteps fleet 
Our broken lives be severed wide; 

Yet that sweet dream will still abide, 
Until beyond the stars we meet. 

'Mid earthly pains and sorrows deep, 
When joy lies pulseless, hope has fled, 

And all we love are cold and dead — 
That star will still its vigil keep 

And send its rays athwart the night, 
Until within the weary breast 

Shall creep a blessed sense of rest, 
And darkness fade in Heaven's light. 



THE SUMMER IS COMING 



The summer is coming for you. darling, 

The Summer is coming for you; 
The Bummer with blossoms of Bweetness, 

Red roses and violets blue. 

The Bummer with Bunshine and brightm 

And Cloudlet with silvery hue: — 

Soft breezes with balm odor- freighted, 
i- coming mosi Burely to you. 

Already the Bweet buds are bursting, 

Disclosing bright colors to view; 
The song-birds again are returning 

To warble their old songs anew. 

And over the hillside and valley 

Nature decks .-»ii her children anew 
With beautiful garmeuts of gladness 
For the Bummer I bat's » mlng to you 

you have borne tie- kern blasts "i" Winter 

.Mel ever to duty been true; 
N«.w the clouds and the shadows are drifting, 

And the Bummer Is coming for \<<u. 



NEW YEAR GREETING. 



To the friends and patrons of the Car- 
rier Dove, to the earnest searchers into 
the treasures of the Spiritual kingdom, 
to the aspiring, soaring minds who are 
seeking "light, more light," to the pur- 
ified ones, who having lingered long in 
the "Valley," and, become refined in the 
crucible of affliction, are now standing 
on the mountain tops, to those who still 
stand with hands outstretched and faces 
upturned toward the sublime heights they 
have not yet attained, to the lowly and 
sad ones, to the outcast and abandoned 
ones, to all of earth's children, every- 
where, do we send our New Year greet- 
ing. We have not heretofore spoken to 
you of our personality; we have been 
content — yea, indeed, blest — to labor si- 
lently and unseen among you seeking 
only the higher good that might result 
from our ministrations. We have sought 
each mouth to send you some star-gleams 
from the infinite shores, some hope-buds 
from the immortals gardens, some crys- 
tal draughts from the living fountains* 
some rays of light to illuminate your 
darkness, some words of comfort for 
your sorrow some joy for your mourn- 
ing, and in your hours of trial and temp- 
tation, in your seasons of despair and 
doubting, when faith, hope, and courage 
all have failed you, when utter darkness 
within and without encompassed you, 
then have we sought to impart that 
sublime faith which faileth not, that 
beautiful hope which anchors the soul to 
the everlasting rocks of truth, that cour- 
age which lays hold upon Spiritual po- 
tentialities, saying "ye are mine, and all 
things are possible unto me, even to the 
banishment of pain, disease, and death." 
Though but few of you have grasped 
the great soul-truths we have sought 



through many channels to impart unto 
you, yet some glimmerings of the great 
light shining steadfastly far out into soul 
realms have reached you, and you have 
been quickened and renewed thereby. 
Some of you, in moments of exaltation, 
have caught the radiance of the far-off 
glory, have laved in the billows of light 
from the other shore. Some of you have 
beheld the faces of your beloved ones 
dwelling in the light of the eternal 
worlds. You have heard the murmur of 
voices long silent, and clasped the hands 
long since folded upon peaceful, quiet 
breasts. The gates have swung wide 
open, and noiselessly as the falling dew 
have the shining ones descended with 
their gentle ministrations soothing the 
wounds of the stricken souls of earth, 
And as we have ministered unto you. 
so shall you, in return, minister unto 
one another; as the angels have loved 
you, so love ye one another; as 
we have comforted you, so com- 
fort ye one another. This is our New 
Year message unto you: Love more; 
cherish more; be more gentle, patient, 
and forgiving; if you have been blest in 
" basket and store" of the material things 
of earth, so also should you dispense your 
blessing among those less favored. 
Strengthen and uphold the hands of 
those who are striving to become the 
worthy ambassadors of the angels; give 
them encouragement when they are 
weary; give them your love, sympathy 
and hearty cooperation in their good 
work, and thus make smooth the way 
and open wide the doors, that nearer and 
still nearer we may draw unto the hearts 
of men, turning them ever from darkness 
unto the everlasting light. 



TRIBUTE TO OUR ARISEN ONES. 



[Delivered by the author at the Spiritualists' Memorial Services, held at the Camp-meeting in 
Oakland, Sunday, June 17th, 1888.] 

We twine the fragrant blooms to-day, 

In garlands sweet; 
And from the fullness of our hearts we say, 

'Tis very meet 
That our dear dead and fondly loved ones still 
With tender memories our bosoms thrill. 



We bring to mind their noble lives and generous deeds 

With glad recall; 
And love's sweet offerings bring as the best mead 

Of praise to all; 
And here 'neath Stars and Stripes, 'mid fragrant flowers, 
We crown with fondest love these friends of ours. 

We cannot name them all; for, lo, they stand 

Beside us now ; 
We see their angel forms; they press our hand 

And toncfa our brow 

With the same tender fondness that they did before 
They passed within death's flown wreathed door. 

And as they gather round us here to-d I 
mining host — 

They calm our fears, they wipe all tears awa\ ; 

They are not lost. 
We know their helpful love and watchful care 
Bn folds us here, and now, and everywhere. 

Among the friends we dearly loved (.-onus one — 

A matron grand, 
Whose tender ministrations here are n<>t y< 

Whose healing hand 
Brought ease and n f heart and brain. 

And caused the bei ka to bloom again. 



2 8o TRIBUTE TO OUR ARISEN ONES. 

Eliza F. McKinley — true and noble soul — 

We all revere, 
And know that, though she now has reached life's goal, 

She's with us here, 
The same devoted mother, sister, wife, and friend, 
. Faithful to all in life, in death, unto the end. 

These angels, full of tenderness and grace, 

Gather around, 
And with their presence consecrate this place, 

As holy ground; 
While over all the seen and unseen throng, 
In rhythmic waves floats their angelic song. 

They sing of " peace on earth, good will to men," 

As long ago 
Throughout the peaceful vales of Bethlehem 

'Twas chanted low; 
They sing of true fraternity; and, lo, the sweet refrain 
Is caught by distant bands and echoed back again. 

And our dull ears may catch each heavenly note 

Of joyous song 
That downward from the choirs celestial float, 

And borne along 
Reach many fainting, sad, and weary hearts, 
And to despondent ones new hope imparts. 

O friends, brothers, and sisters dear, 

They plead to-day, 
Wait not until ye strew pale flowers upon the bier 

Kind words to say; 
But say them now; bring love's pure oil and wine, 
And pour into bruised hearts the balm divine. 

Cheer up the mourner; strengthen ye the weak, 

And freely give 
The helpful word each one of you may speak. 

Oh, strive to live 
And work in love and peace and harmony 
On earth, in heaven, through all eternity. 



SPIRITUALISM DENOUNCED. 



Reverend Thos. Chalmers Easton de- 
livered a sermon at Calvary Church, in 
this city, in which he denounced Spirit- 
ualism in a manner that showed conclu- 
sively he had never investigated the 
subject and consequently knew nothing 
of the matter he was discoursing upon. 
His ignorance was not confined to what 
is known as Modern Spiritualism alone, 
but extended to the historical records of 
the Bible from which he quoted various 
texts and interpreted them according to 
his own ideas and not according to the 
written testimony. He called the woman 
of Bndor a " witch " and said she had 
doubtless gathered information from the 
servants of Saul that enabled her ti 
ogni/e him, and that the voice of Samuel 
was simulated by the witch who was a 
ventriloquist. If ministers can stand in 
their pulpits and deliberately misrepre- 
sent and distort plain Scripture state- 
ments until the original meaning is 
entirely lost sight of and still retain the 
support and countenance of their congre- 
gations it will be but a short time until 

truth-loviug, self-respecting mem- 
ber withdraws from such churches, and 

the ministers and their uni 

in^ dupes severely alone. About the 

only truth uttered by the said divine in 
lid sei mon was thai he " did not 

know of a Single individual who had 

ever gone into Spiritualism who bad ever 
changed from it." 

No; people do n<>t change from their 

faith when the\ i :ih- s itisfied of 

.: h of Spiritualism. Tin \ at e not 

: orthodox churcru s 

who "gel a inter and 

h.sr it during b i tig in 

Summer. Il sticks to them and tl 

it . It is an ever-abidinu • ■ that is 



real and tangible; something that re- 
maineth forever and ever. 

The advertisements the speaker re- 
ferred to do not represent Spiritualists by 
any manner; but bear on their face the 
" signet and superscription " of the trade 
they represent. When you read of 
" Miss So-and-So, young healer, assisted 
by Maudie and Belle," or of the greatest 
living clairvoyant, seventh daughter, born 
with a double veil, etc., you are not read- 
ing the advertisements of reliable or rec- 
ognized mediums; and Spiritualism is no 
more responsible for such quackery than 
is the medical profession, as fraudulent 
imitators of both are represented by these 
advertisements. When a crank springs 

up and declares that he is Jesus Christ, 

who has come the second time, and goes 

ab >ut preaching and has a considerable 
following of fanatical believers, no one 
pretends to claim that he represents the 
large body of Christians of any denomina- 
tion, or holds Christianity responsible 
for such nonsense. Spiritualism is not 
to b • judged by the eccentricities <>( any 
individual, but courts the candid, earnest 
gation of thinking, reasoning peo 
Millions of sueh have embraced its 
truths after having applied the teal - 
eutific research to its phenomena. Lei 
our ministerial friends come out from the 
bondage of ignorance and superstition, 
and bravely and honestly investigate 
thej denounce and ridicule the 
■ the centuries the 

: that land to ■ h w t - 

ate all hastening, and from \\ b< 

.id " no travel ." hut 

which Spiritualism demonstrates to be 
' i s travelei b are returi 

with in' love and 

■I. .uid th- 



in- v,l) ,11 






ANGEL MINISTRY. 



From the infinite sources of being — 

From the great Over-Soul — the Divine, 

I came at the call of thy spirit, 
My soul it responded to thine. 

Away mid the star-begemmed spaces, 

Afar from the borders of time, 
Where the beauty, the rapture, the graces 

Of life is a poem sublime — 

In a realm of most wondrous beauty — 
Beyond flights of the fancy to tell, 

Where free and untarnished — unsullied 
By contact with evil there dwell 

The bright and the sinless — the pure ones, 

Who have passed through the chastening fire, 

'Till all dross and all weakness have vanished, 
And quenched is all human desire. 

They dwell on the summits so holy, 

They bathe in the infinite fount 
Of love and of wisdom, whose glory 

Enwraps and envelops the mount. 

There transfigured, transformed, and uplifted, 
With faces that shine like the sun, 

They turn toward the earth and its children, 
Whose journey has only begun. 

And with hearts of compassion and mercy, 
Leave soul-land — their heavenly estate, 

And go to the rescue of mortals, 

Who in darkness and bondage await 

The touch of the breath that shall quicken — 

The voice of the Spirit of Love — 
The hand that shall beckon and lead them 

From lowlands to highlands above; 



ANGEL MINISTRY. 283 

From sin, and the darkness and sadness 

Of wrong and its withering blight, 
Into sunshine and freedom and gladness, 
Into purity, beauty, and right; 

From all that enthralls and enchains them — 

From bondage of centuries past, 
To the glory-crowned summits of freedom, 

Untrammeled, unfettered at last. 

Oh, mortals! we fain would enfold you 

In arms of the tenderest love; 
We would bear you the symbol of safety, 

Like the olive branch borne by the dove. 

When the waters surround and submerge you 

And dark seems the night and the way, 
On the bosom of Love you shall slumber, 

To wake in eternity's day. 




'"3 



5^m 



ANGEL GUIDANCE. 



How many of us have heard that inner 
voice and counseled with it in times of 
mental distress, doubt, and fear. How 
many times we, who are not conscious 
of having a personal guide whose in- 
dividuality is pronounced and distinct 
from our own, and to whom we can al- 
ways turn for advice, counsel, or en- 
couragement have, nevertheless, turned 
imploringly to the nameless inward 
monitor for that friendly aid we so sorely 
needed. Years ago we believed this in- 
ner voice was conscience, and that it was 
always safe and wise to heed it. Now we 
know that conscience is always the result 
of early training and education, and will 
always advise us in accordance with pre- 
conceived opinions of the settled con- 
victions that came as a result of the 
teachings of our youth. The conscience 
of the cannibal does not warn him 
against devouring missionaries, but 
would rather reprove him if he should 
let slip the opportuniny of having such 
a feast. While we cannot, then, rely 
upon conscience as a guide, from what 
source come these grand inspirations and 
intense longings for higher and better 
things ? We are satisfied they come from 
the spiritual spheres of life, and are the 
promptings of wise and beneficent intel- 
ligences who are ever on the alert to sow 
the seeds of love and wisdom in every re- 
ceptive soul. Though we may not be 
aware of an individual presence counsel- 
ing with us, and our dull ears and blind 
eyes m^y not perceive the spiritual 
beings who would lead us into paths of 
peace and pleasantness, yet are they ever 
present, whispering words of hope, en- 
couragement, or counsel, and if we heed 
the angel voices we cannot go far astray. 
All who have come into a knowledge of 



spiritual truth have realized this angel 
guidance and presence, and so closely 
does it seem blended with our daily life 
experiences that it almost seems to be 
our inner self, and yet something distinct 
and apart from us. The writer has real- 
ized this presence daily for many years, 
and at one time expressed this nearness 
and sympathy in a poem which was ad- 
dressed to her spirit guide from which 
the following lines are an extract: 

Beloved Angel Guide thou nearest and 
dearest, 
Who knowest my thoughts and readest 
my soul, 
Whose love is the strongest, whose sight 
is the clearest, 
Who is true unto me as the needle, the 
pole,— 
Thou who guards, guides, and leads me, 
as day after day 
My feet wander on through the b}-- 
ways of life, 
Thou, who seest the motives that silently 
play 
The keys that evoke peace, discord, or 
strife; 
Thou knowest the longings, the prayers, 
and the tears, 
The striving and struggles, the battles 
I've fought, 
To live and to do whatever appears 

As purest and best, in word, deed, and 
thought; 
Thou knowest my failures, how oft I 
have erred, 
And slipped when my pathway was 
rugged and steep, 
Then again how I've soared light and 
free as a bird, 
Far away toward the heavens so bound- 
less and deep. 
I ask thee to tell me as a true, trusted 

friend 
Who has walked by my side through the 

long, weary years, 
All my faults and my failings, and help 
me to mend, 
Though I wash them away in an ocean 
of tears. 



ANGEL WHISPERS. 



We come to the faint and weary 

Who toil through the heat of the day; 
Whose lives seem so hopeless and dreary 

Without even one cheering ray 
To brighten the cloud of the present, 

Or tinge with a faint streak of gold 
The shadowy ways of the future, 

As they dimly before you unfold. 

We sing of a brighter to-morrow, 

But our songs fall on ears that are dead 
To their sweet soothing strains; for to sorrow 

And toil you are hopelessly wed. 
We would open the sources of knowledge, 

And pour its clear waters on all; 
But you cling to your idols in blind,,. 

Your souls respond not to our call. 

So we hope on, and wait for the dawning 

Of a brighter and holier day, 
When the mist and the clouds of the morning 

Shall be swept from your visions awa\ ; 
And you see all the grandeur and beauty, 

That everywhere lovingly li 
Like a mantle of glory the a,. 

Have tenderly dropped from the skies. 
When the songs thai we sing Bhall awaken 

An echo in every sad breast 

When s ( ,,, () u and Care sh ill be taken 

As coming From one who knows beat. 



REVIVAL INSANITY. 



During the recent Mills' revival meet- 
ings in this city, a young woman went 
violently insane and commenced tearing 
off her clothing and screaming that she 
wanted a robe of white, she wanted to 
be an angel. It required the combined 
efforts of seven men to overpower her 
and get her out of the vast throng (it 
occurred at the Mechanics' Pavilion) and 
conveyed to the Receiving Hospital. 
Her husband was sent for, and in sorrow 
he declared that it was what he had 
feared would come, as his young wife 
had attended the revival meetings every 
day and he had noticed signs of mental 
derangement resulting therefrom. 

The trouble with this lady was the 
fact that she believed what she heard 
preached, and, as a natural sequence, 
lost her reason. All that saves the ma- 
jority of religious fanatics from a similar 
fate is the lack of belief in the infamous 
doctrines taught. No sensible, right- 
minded person could absolutely believe 
in a lake of fire and brimstone where the 
vast majority of the human family were 
to be eternally tortured and never con- 
sumed, and still retain their reason. The 
contemplation of such a terrible, horrible 
doom would unseat reason from its 
throne, and leave a set of gibbering 
idiots to run the religious business of the 
world and conduct its " revivals." 

From the newspaper reports of the 
sermons of Revivalist Mills, we learn 
that his stock in trade is a choice selec- 
tion of sensational stories of deathbed 
scenes, most of which are of lost, un- 
saved, unrepentant, irreligious people, 
who had never "given their hearts to 
Jesus," and consequently were doomed 
to hell eternally. 

And that is the kind of stuff that thou- 
sands of people flock to hear, and think 
they are listening to a divinely inspired 
teacher. Why, such preaching is abso- 



lutely wicked and should not be allowed 
in the nineteenth century of civilization. 
It is a lie, and blasphemy against Divine 
Love and Wisdom. If there be a God, 
as our orthodox friends teach, he will 
not hold them guiltless who so defame 
and malign his goodness and tender 
mercy. God, means Love; and Love 
" worketh no ill," but is long-suffering, 
patient, gentle, meek; in fact, is any- 
thing, everything but the demon of im- 
placable fury and wrath so graphically 
pictured by the religious revivalists as 
the God who would condemn to eternal 
torture countless numbers of poor, suffer- 
ing, ignorant human beings, whose 
struggles through this life should entitle 
them to happiness hereafter, even if they 
never heard the name of Jesus, or 
dreamed there was a God. 

Friends, Spiritualists, Freethinkers, 
what can we do to dispel the clouds of 
superstition and ignorance which have 
settled so darkly over us? How can we 
break the good news of the beautiful, 
immortal life the angel friends come 
back and tell us of, to these poor, deluded, 
mentally shipwrecked souls? "Oh, for 
a thousand tongues to sing," the glad 
tidings of great joy that come like heal- 
ing balm to bruised and bleeding hearts, 
telling them of life, beautiful life, amid 
the fairer scenes of the eternal world, 
where every hope, every aspiration, shall 
find sweet fulfilment; and feet that now 
stumble and grow weary shall joyfully 
climb the everlasting mountains of pro- 
gression and unfoldment. 

Oh, what a contrast between the dis- 
heartening, crushing, debasing doctrine 
of eternal punishment, and the inspiring, 
ennobling and elevating teachings of the 
angels, of a future full of promise, of 
sweet fruition, of endless growth and un- 
foldment ! 



BIRTH OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 



[An anniversary poem delivered March 31, 1SS3. at the celebration in Oakland, Cal., under 
the auspices of the Oakland Spiritual Association.] 

Thirty-five times the softly flitting, ever-changing years , 

Have placed to human lips the cup of happiness and tears, 
Since the bending heavens were opened, and lo! upon the earth 
An angel band descend to celebrate the birth 
Of a lovely child of promise within an humble home, 
Where no breath of foul suspiciou would ever dare to come, 
For the guileless, trusting inmates, with no motive to deceive, 
Those who came to see the infant they kindly would receive. 
' Twas a quaint, strange, wondrous being they could scarce make out, 
And its origin and mission was a question of much doubt. 
Wise men, scholars, theologians came from very far and near 
To investigate the matter and to hear what they could hear — 
For although the child was speechless, it was rumored all about 
t could hear and solve their questions, and would rap the answers out. 
And they went away confounded at the wise replies it gave 
In regard to earthly matters and to those beyond the grave — 
Showing that it was familiar with another life than this, 
Whether it was life in Hades, or a life of Heavenly bliss. 
Many thought it was the former, although why they could not tell, 
For it taught them much of Heaven, but denied there was a Hell — 
Which of course upset old notions, therefore must not be allowed. 
Or their churches, creeds, and dogmas all would vanish like a cloud. 
So they wrapped their robe8 about them and most solemnly withdrew, 
Leaving the fair child of promise to B wise and noble leu 
< )Vr whose minds old superstition could not hold its iron Swaj ; 

For when reason's lamp is Lighted, superstition fades aw 

So with love and cue the\ watched it, as it daily did unfold 

in symmetrical proportions that were pleasing to behold; 

Ami it quickly in istered language then the precious golden words 

That came from els none before bad ever he. ml, 

Telling of a life immortal, snd s destine sublime, 

That awaits earth's lowliest children far beyond the shores of turn-, 

That our loved ami lost are with us, and the change tii if we call death 

[s the putting off old garments but a gently, fleeting ' ■ ith — 

Setting free the prisoned spirit from its worn out house of els 

Bidding it to sou in gladness to its native 

Thus the balm of consolation that their loving words im] 



i 



BIRTH OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM. 

Heals the wounds of those afflicted, and binds up the broken heart, 

Bringing faith and hope and courage, where was doubting, grief, and fears. 

Filling weary lives with gladness, giving peace in place of tears. 

So this child of Heaven prospered, and attained a wondrous fame, 

Till the islands of the ocean speak with joyfulness her name. 

Now, prophetically, we see her budding into woman's prime, 

With the fruits and flowers about her of the glorious summer time — 

Winning with her heavenly graces and her real intrinsic worth, 

Suitors from all climes and nations of the noble ones of earth. 

And among them, grand and gracious, with a proud, imperial mien 

That would stamp him prince of wisdom, first among the great ones seen, 

Science comes to woo and win her, lays his laurels at her feet; 

She accepts the true heart-offering, making thus her life complete. 

Hand in hand united truly, with their banners now unfurled, 

Marching over Superstition, Spiritual Science rules the world; 

And its birthplace teach your children — it is something they should know — 

Was the little town of Hydesville, thirty-five brief years ago. 



INDEX 



PAGE 

A Review of the Progress of Spirit- Introduction 

ualism 19 Preface 

Dedication 11 



AGE 



BIOGRAPHIES. 



PAGE 

Babbitt, K. I) 224 

Ballou, Addie L, 144 

Beals, Bishop 151 

Bowman, William Clayton 164 

Browne, Did a B 54 

Buchanan, Prof. Joseph Rodes 82 

Bundy, John C 220 

Clark. James G 153 

Clarke, Dr. Dean , . ' 68 

Coleman, William Emmette ior 

Collins, Hon. John A 47 

Cooley, Mrs. Georgia 135 

Cowell, Mrs. S 183 

Davis, Franklin A 227 

Dawbarn, Charles 133 

Dye, Mrs. Esther 1 i<> 

S. I) 



: 

Pair, Edward 

er, Dr. W. M 

Poster, Charles II 

Green, Ernest S 

I [awe ■ I [azelton 

Hendee-Rogers, Mrs. M. J 

Howell, Walter 

Hull, 

Hull. Moses 

Liening, John 1 1 

D Mi-. 1 . \ . ... 



t49 

1 \o 

59 
55 

1 1 1 



Longley, C. P 

Longley, Mrs. M. T 

Doucks, Anna Danforth.. 

Poveland, J. S 

Lunt, E. D 

MacMeekin, Mrs 

MacMeekin, William 
Marcen, Eudora B. 

Morse, J. J 

Peebles, J. M 

Pratt, Aaron W 

Ravlin, Dr. N. F 

Reynolds, John W 

Roberts, Mrs. ( reorge . 
Schlesinger, Dr. Louis.. 

Schlesinger, Julia 

Shindler, Mary 1 >ana 

Snow, Herman 

Steel man-Mitchell, Julia . 
Stephens, Mrs. P. W 
Treadwell, I >r. Prances C 
Waisbrooker, Lois. .... 
Wait.-, Mrs. Maggie 

■ n, Elizabeth Lowe. 
Whitehead, Mis. s. 1: . . . 

Wiggin, Amanda D 

Woolley, S. l 



PAGl 

• • 39 

• • 35 






186 
46 

r43 
[93 

iSl 

61 
78 

7' 
43 

1 '5 

1 is 



AUTHORS ALBUM. 

[nlroduction.. 

PR< l 

Angel Guidance. .... Eui >uragemenl 

•• ik-hold. ■ Immoral P 1 

Cooperation.. 









290 



INDEX. 



Mediumship 231 

New Year Greeting 278 

Open Doors for Clergymen 272 

Our Aim 272 

Our Brave Workers 255 

Practical Spiritualism 259 

Press Onward 268 

Revival Insanity 286 

" Soul Communion " 245 

Spirit Ministration 253 



PROSE— Continued. 

PAGE PAGE 

Spiritualism and Orthodoxy Con- 
trasted 241 

Spiritualism Denounced 281 

The Improvement of the Race 238 

The Influence of Cheerfulness 268 

The Progress of Spiritualism 249 

The Spiritual Outlook 273 

The Value of the Phenomena of Spir- 
itualism 270 

Thomas Paine 235 

Treasures in Heaven. 267 



POETRY. 



Angel Ministry 282 

Angel Whispers 285 

Aspiration 237 

A Twilight Message 233 

Beautiful Gates of Day 240 

Birth of Modern Spiritualism 287 

Dedicated to J. V. M 257 

How the Angels Come , 265 

Nona 267 



One Day 276 

Recompense 274 

Sometime 271 

Spirit Message 246 

The Summer is Coming 277 

The Voice of Angels 276 

The World's Need 254 

To an Aged Friend 269 

Tribute to Our Arisen Ones 279 



MISCELLANEOUS. 

PAGE PAGE 

A Remarkable Trance. By Mrs. Gates of Gold (Poem). By Geo. W. 

Georgia Cooley 137 Morse 42 

Extracts from Lectures and Poems of The Creed of Spiritualists. By John 

Elizabeth Lowe Watson 1 26 W. Reynolds , M. D 79 



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